Closure
by kamelion
Summary: Complete - The Doctor asks Jack to rescue a previous incarnation, and to help prevent the complete severing of Time. Five, Jack, Ten, and other appearances. Knowledge of Five'verse is pretty necessary. Had chapter break issues, I believe they're fixed. Not beta'd, please pardon any errors. And please leave a review, if you would be so kind! Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor crouched, exhausted and battered, half-wedged between a stone pillar and the warm stone wall behind him. "I almost wish for the Master's tissue compression eliminator," he muttered wryly, noting that his thin frame was still too large for the space he was trying to cram into. "Of course that may have less than desirable effects." He was all too aware that his self-talk was merely a mechanism for easing his fear. Swallowing hard, easing the frantic counter-beats of his two hearts, he tried his hardest to become invisible to the sounds of stomping, of running. He let his gaze drift upwards, then back to the street.

Dark bodies ran past, making him snap his head back into the shadows. It was pure luck that they didn't look back at him. Their eyes were glued ahead, crimson and black helmets obscuring their faces but not their intent. If the Doctor had been standing before him, they would have run him over before realizing he was the one they were after.

The Doctor crammed himself tight into his hiding place, the fabric of his cricket jacket scraping against the rough stone. He froze, even though there was no possibility of that faint sound being heard against the pounding run, and felt a sudden childish urge to close his eyes in the hopes that if he couldn't see them, they couldn't see him. Chastising himself, he settled for holding his breath as soldiers passed by, close enough to touch.

A loud voice boomed through the streets, and the soldiers ran faster. "Find him! Find the Doctor! Kill him! KILL HIM!."

The Doctor's eyes closed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You want me to do what?" Captain Jack Harkness leaned over the TARDIS console, still breathless from his run. His arrival on the TARDIS had been sudden. He had been fleeing an army of soldiers when the blue police box appeared, the door open. He took advantage, of course, and leapt inside, thinking he would be transported back to Torchwood. He had to get back to his team, tell them there were more soldiers from Orta stomping about.

What was happening now completely smacked him from left field. He knew better.

"I want you to rescue me," the Doctor said plainly as he flipped a large switch beside a blank monitor screen. He studied the screen for a moment, making Jack wonder just what he was waiting on. Black frames made his already large eyes seem impossibly huge. He looked up at Jack, unblinking.

Jack glanced back at the door, trying to reckon his narrow escape with this shift of events. A half-smile crept onto his face. "Are you planning on doing something nasty?"

"What? NO, you idiot. Not me!"

"…but you just said?"

The Doctor studied the screen in front of him. He snatched off his glasses and regarded Jack evenly. "Another me."

Jack managed a nod, sort of. "Look, Doc, I'm pretty busy at the moment."

"So am I."

Jack raised his chin. "I see. So we're there, are we? You disappear for a year, then when you're in a tight spot you call on good old Jack." He leaned in. "You do need me. Admit it."

The Doctor pushed at a stubborn lever and sighed, tucking his glasses into his pocket. "There is a past version of myself who is in a lot of trouble. I need your help getting him - me - out of it."

"I see." Jack said again, and ran a finger lightly over the side of the console. "So this isn't just you diving in and helping me out for a change."

"I already said, I don't know what to do about your - situation." The Doctor wouldn't look at him.

Maybe old wounds hadn't been healed. The Doctor still felt uncomfortable around him. And he dared ask for help? "My situation? Just say it. You mean immortality?" Jack pointed his finger angrily. "Listen. I already have a situation going on! My team needs me down there! Now, as glad as I am to see you again, you really need to take me back to Torchwood." He turned and face the door.

"If you help me, this situation you're currently battling will cease to exist," the Doctor responded smoothly. "What better way to make things right for your friends, eh?"

It was something he could never get used to, the Doctor's seemingly infinite knowledge of Jack's doings, as though he was being watched. For all Jack knew, he was. Hell, the way the Doctor got around, Jack could be catching up to an event which already happened while the Doctor was merely working his way backwards from it. It made maintaining a distant friendship…troublesome. "Oh, I knew better than to expect you to take a hint. What do you know about it?" he snapped.

"Oh, don't be like that," the Doctor groused, but with a hint of good humor. "I saw you running. You've come across a brigade of Ortarian soldiers, haven't you? I've come across them before, myself. In a past incarnation. They're persistent beings, aren't they? All that stomping about. It's enough to drive one mad."

Jack knew better than to be surprised, yet he was. "And?"

"And - it seems they want me dead."

Jack blinked. "What alien presence doesn't want you dead?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "I should take offense at that!"

"Maybe, but you won't."

"I might!" Indeed, the Doctor did look a bit affronted and waved the comment away. "Either way, now doesn't matter. They're after me then."

Jack just shook his head.

"Oh, come on, time-agent man! It's as easy as this. Someone's messed with the time stream in order to loose these Ortarian soldiers amongst the galaxy. And they've used your little gateway to send them to Earth."

"That much I know. And?"

The Doctor paused thoughtfully, bracing himself on the console. "I had stopped them, all those years ago, the first time they tried to take Earth." His voice grew faint with memory, and a hint of regret. "At the time they had a target on the Brigadier, I don't know why specifically, but I'm sure it was something to do with UNIT. We managed to send them back, but they were a little put out with me."

"Can't imagine why," Jack said cheekily, but he was curious, despite himself. "Did they put a price on your head?"

"Absolutely. And I managed to destroy them."

Jack leaned forward, likewise bracing himself on the console. "Only you didn't! Because they're here, now. On Earth." He let his stare say, Get to the point, Doc. I've got work to do.

The Doctor rubbed his chin. "Yeah…I did stop them actually, not that it matters now." He glanced down at the console and after a moment's thought, quickly started pressing buttons. "Whoever is using them has actually gone back in time and manipulated my handiwork. They've put the idea of killing me into the minds of these soldiers long before I came up with the solution for destroying them. They've been on the hunt for ages, and now they have me." He winced. "Timing's a bit tricky on this one."

"The coy bastards."

"Tell me about it. Such is the hazard of time travel."

"So you - I mean your other self- is on the run."

"And trapped on their planet." He looked up. "It's very hard to think when all of your time is spent running."

Jack eyed the Doctor, noting the tension on his face. "You don't think you'll come up with the solution to kill them, do you?"

The Doctor straightened and rolled his shoulders, buying time as ran his fingers through his unruly hair. He considered the question. "Well - the set of circumstance is different now, isn't it? I'm not sitting at a cozy desk in UNIT, therefore I'm not going to be exposed to the same information as before. My chances could be better."

"And what's my role in this?"

"Obviously my going back would be interfering with my own past, with my own time-stream."

"Yeah, yeah, all that timey-wimey stuff. You can't save your own neck. But you've said that's happened before."

The Doctor waved his hand in irritation. "Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, but not as a voluntary thing! There's been circumstances where I've been lumped together with my former selves. I don't just go seeking myself out."

"I can't say I blame you." Jack loved the incredulous look on the Doctor's face.

"Anyway," the Doctor continued, "I need someone to go back, and give me this." He held out a small scrap of paper. "Like I said, the timing's a bit tricky," he muttered. "You'll have to hurry."

"Timing for what?" Jack took it and studied the scrawl. "Coordinates?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?"

"In case you're captured, and they make you talk."

Jack rolled eyes. "Nice. It's good to see your confidence in me hasn't wavered, Doctor."

The Doctor walked around the console and stood face to face with him, suddenly looking very serious. "Jack, please. I haven't asked anything of you. I'm asking this. It is more important than you can possibly imagine."

"Eminent destruction of the universe?"

"Mmm…more like Big Brother is watching you." His eyebrows rose over his stare.

Jack sighed and tucked the paper into his pants pocket. He was the Doctor. Jack always found it hard to say no where the Doctor was concerned. "Of course I'll help. You know better than to beg."

Eyes flew open wide, and the Doctor took a step back. "What? Beg? I do not beg!"

"Oh! You were so begging."

"Unbelievable. I should've left you to deal with them on Earth," the Doctor muttered, turning away and checking his panel once more.

"Ya think? And then were would you be?"

"Dead, more than likely." The Doctor answered frankly. Jack felt his expression give. "You've seen them down there on Earth, your small faction of soldiers with whom you can hardly keep up. Now imagine a whole planet of them, swarming the streets, stomping out their rhythm in a deafening cadence." He frowned at the console. "It's a wonder I survived this long." He didn't look up.

"You're really worried, aren't you?" Jack asked in a low voice.

"Yes."

That was something else he couldn't get his head around, regarding the Doctor. Was it concern for his own existence? Did he see these other incarnations as friends, or really as himself? He knew the Doctor retained some memories of previous incarnations, which gave him a bond that he would never have with anyone else, but it was he, himself. Wasn't it? And yet these other incarnations were functioning in different time streams, like he was, with their own experiences that this Doctor probably didn't know about because it was currently happening. . .Jack shook his head. Even a former time agent couldn't wrap around this one. He fingered the paper in his pocket. "How do you know about your other self? Is this something you remember happening?"

The Doctor winced. "Yeaaah, that's the odd thing about time travel. In a sense, it's happening now, because someone is currently trying to manipulate my past. Think of it as having a static memory that keeps changing."

Jack tried. "It's a wonder you're not insane."

"Who says I'm not, eh?" The Doctor gave Jack a playful punch on the arm, then jumped as a beep sounded. "That's your cue. Nearly there. I'm going to make a quick landing, just enough for you to get through those doors. I can't risk hanging about."

"Wait, what do you mean, nearly there?" Jack accused. "You assumed I would say yes!"

"Well," the Doctor said grandly, "more like I knew you wouldn't let me down." He scurried about, instigating landing procedures.

Jack never understood why things had to be scattered amongst the panels. Landing procedures on one. Take-off on one. Flight-path on one. Communications on one. Systems check on one. And so on. He wondered if the Doctor deliberately scattered things about for dramatic effect. "Hang on. How do I get back? How do I contact you?"

"I'll get you back. Well, the other me. It's good incentive not to fail, isn't it!"

Jack shook his head in disbelief. "No, no-no-no! You're burning the boat! I hate burning the boats!"

The Doctor grabbed the console as the TARDIS shook. He gave Jack a stern look. "Jack, if anyone can do this, it's you. It's why I've asked you."

Jack tightened his hold. "If you know where he is, and where you're going, why can't you just pick him up?"

The Doctor peered around the lit column. "Because he needs to set things right."

"But he's you! What difference does it make?" Jack yelled, exasperated. Damned time travel.

The TARDIS arrived at it's destination with a faint whirring sound, and a thump. Jack released his own grip on the console and wiped his forehead. "Time to check those stabilizers again," he said.

"Right. You'll need these." The Doctor reached across the console and handed Jack two small headsets, then pushed the lever which opened the door. "Good luck."

"Just wait, wait!" Jack quickly held up his hand. "If I'm doing this for you, do something for me. Keep an eye on Gwen and the team."

"It's one faction. She can handle it."

"Just the same. Promise me."

The Doctor nodded. "Of course. I'll make sure things don't get out of hand."

"Thank you. One more thing. If this is another you, you'll look different. How will I know who you are?"

"I'll be the one holding my ears."

"What?"

The Doctor smiled. "Look for a stick of celery on my lapel."

"…._What_?"


	2. Chapter 2

He wasn't sure where the soldiers were keeping his TARDIS. He couldn't touch foot near the capitol. Even with his Time Lord constitution, the constant stress and physical exertion had taken its toll. He would have to rest soon, and find some nourishment. But the sounds of stomping echoed everywhere. He never knew if what he heard was a mile away, a block away, or right on top of him. There was no escaping the noise.

He felt sure he would go mad.

He bolted down a back alley, hands pressed hard to his ears. White stone buildings towered on either side of him. He half expected them to tumble in the crescendo, like the fabled city of Jericho. They didn't even crack - unlike himself.

If only he could go somewhere more quiet, someplace where he could lay down his head and just think! But the stomping continued, and for a moment seemed to grow in intensity. He fell back against a building, panicking as he slid down the rough wall but unable to push himself a step further. He wanted to yell for them to stop, that he surrendered, anything to keep that constant pounding from inside his head. The stomping grew louder, and he knew they were coming but he couldn't make himself move. He groaned under the auditory assault, tipping over to lay on his side, his hands falling lax from his head.

The soldiers didn't pause as they rounded the corner and spotted his crumpled form. Nor did they pick up the pace. Their helmets gleamed as they marched toward him as one unit, one deadly machine. Then an object shimmered into view.

The Doctor caught just a glimpse of it, and cried out in despair as it vanished.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The first thing Jack saw when he was tossed out (thanks Doc) of the TARDIS was a sea of black and red. He blinked rapidly, recognized the soldiers, and spun around to run back into the TARDIS. But it was gone, and at the end of the alley a man lay on his side, curled in on himself.

Jack took to his heels and covered the distance in a few breaths. "You okay?" He skidded to a stop beside him and grabbed his arm, turning the young man's head to quickly check for consciousness. The expression was confused and disoriented, but able. Jack took him by the elbow and urged him to his feet. Already the pounding of boots was giving him a headache, they weren't like this on earth, were they? He ushered the man down the alley, urging him to run. But the man's legs wouldn't cooperate and he kept stumbling, clearly exhausted.

Jack gritted his teeth and pulled him along the abandoned street and into a warehouse. He shoved him through the door and latched it behind them. The darkness was near total. Knowing it would be nothing for the soldiers to break the door, he pulled his charge to the back of the warehouse, exiting through the back bay door, and quickly ran into the next building.

Building after building they entered, and exited, one after another after another, confounding their pursuers. When Jack finally discovered a building with a cellar, he pushed the man down the stairs and locked the door above them. He could hear the pounding, the stomping, nothing but stomping, but couldn't tell if they were on them or passing by. He stumbled down the stairs, amazingly tired despite the adrenaline, and stopped short.

The man was lying on the ground where he'd collapsed, but had propped himself on one elbow, vivid blue eyes taking in his rescuer. He looked slightly younger than Jack. His face was grimed and exhausted. Blond hair hung in sweaty strings into his face. Jack blinked when he noticed the top leaves of a stick of celery on the man's jacket. There was no way this could be the Doctor. He looked - too different. "Am I under arrest?" the man asked plaintively.

It took a moment for Jack to find his voice. "Under arrest? No!" He gestured to himself with his hands. "No, I have nothing to do with those soldiers. I was getting you out of harm's way." He could have turned and ushered the man into the TARDIS if his Doctor had bothered to hang around. Irritation consumed him.

"I thank you," the Doctor said in mild, tired tones. He winced and lowered his head, pressing his hands to his ears.

Jack remember the small headsets. "Here, take this." He fished them out of his jacket pocket and quickly passed one to the Doctor, who looked at it in confusion before putting it on. Jack did likewise. The ear covers fit snugly, and the stomping ceased. He closed his eyes as calm took over, then opened them to see the Doctor lay on his back in a near blissful state. If he had looked young before, he looked younger now.

"Again, thank you," the Doctor said with a huge sigh. He smiled. "How did you know?"

"You did, actually," Jack said.

"I beg your pardon?" the Doctor asked, but it was only half-hearted. Jack saw the eyes struggle to stay open, and wondered how long the Doctor had been on the run. His Doctor was known to go on for days and days on end without so much as a break. This one looked exhausted. But then, he'd seen the soldiers on earth and knew how persistent they could be. That combined with the noise, well, anyone would wear down. "I thought - I thought I saw it…" the Doctor whispered.

Jack pulled the earphones from his head, then quickly put them back on. It eliminated white noise, then. He could hear the Doctor talk. If anyone came down those stairs, he'd hear that, too.

He checked their surroundings, then settled on the floor to wait as the Doctor, this young, unusual Doctor, slept.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Doctor slept for a while, and when he woke, it was sudden. He pushed up and was checking the cellar door before Jack could sit up. When he seemed satisfied that no one was trying to enter, he crept back down to find Jack watching him. He paused, then stepped forward, his eyes wary but his hand extended. "It seems I owe my life to you. Your appearance was quite timely. I hope I may repay your courtesy."

Jack was surprised by the speech. He took the Doctor's hand in his. "My name's Jack. Captain Jack Harkness."

The Doctor had an easy smile, Jack noted. And a healthy face underneath the grime. He even had good hair. Jack was all too pleased to shake the young man's hand. "I'm the Doctor," the young man said, pulling his hand back and tucking both into dingy pockets.

Jack wanted to say, "I know." He wanted to ask this man many questions. He hadn't wanted to let go of his hand. It surprised him how each incarnation differed, yet seemed so powerful, even when drained as this poor man was. It was obvious that, although he seemed better, the exhaustion was weighing heavily on him. He would need more time to recover in order to do whatever it was he was supposed to do, to rid the universe of the soldiers. Jack fingered the paper in his pocket as the Doctor spoke.

"And these," the Doctor tapped the side of his earphone, "pure genius. Your idea?"

The brief mention had obviously been forgotten during his sleep. Jack decided to tread lightly, for now. "Not exactly. Someone I know gave them to me. He knew what I'd be up against."

"Really." The Doctor straightened. "And what exactly are you up against?"

"The same thing you are, Doctor. I've seen these soldiers before. On Earth."

"Earth?" The Doctor pulled his hands from his pockets in surprise. "Are you from UNIT?" He glanced over Jack's longcoat. "No, no, not UNIT. You're American. Is there an American equivalent? I've always meant to check but somehow I've always ended up near London on my Earth visits."

"London does tend to suck you in," Jack agreed.

"What, then? How did you get here?"

He didn't know how much he was supposed to divulge to this incarnation. He held back. "It's not important," he said. "How long have you been running from those soldiers?"

"Oh, it feels like forever," the Doctor wiped his hands over his weary face, "but I'm sure it's been only a few days. This is the longest I've stayed in one place since it started."

"Why are they after you?"

"It probably has something to do with the fact that I wish to destroy them. Not many life forms are keen on that."

"That's a lot of soldiers to take out."

"Yes. Seems I've always been too ambitious for my own good." He was sinking again, and reached a hand down before sitting hard on the ground.

Jack quickly steadied him. "You don't look so good."

"My metabolism is functioning at a higher rate than normal. Burning off excess energy and leaving me with very little to go on."

Jack nodded and pulled out a candy bar, then held it up in front of the Doctor. "I have a team member with low blood sugar."

"Team member?" The Doctor squinted at the wrapper, then wiped his hands as best he could and took the chocolate bar. "Thank you." He unwrapped it and bit in. His eyes closed as he chewed. "Marvelous. I've always been a fan of chocolate."

Jack was quickly becoming a fan of this particular incarnation. He cleared his throat and stood, wiping his hands on his pants legs, looking around the cellar. "There might be something else to eat down here. It's a cellar after all."

"No need. This should suffice." He held out half the bar.

Jack raised his hand. "I ate not long ago."

"Really? Where?"

Jack pursed his lips, then cursed underneath his breath.

The Doctor looked like he was about to insist, then changed his mind. "The Ortarian soldiers had come to earth through a sort of time portal. And, at the time, I thought it was mere happenstance. Turns out there are a lot of these portals situated throughout the galaxy, and indeed the entire universe. I can only imagine these portals they use originated from here."

"Why is that?"

"The design. The physics. Everything is a bit atypical. These portals are a constructed thing, not a naturally occurring one."

Jack nodded. "They don't cross. There's no give. It's like individual straight tunnels, from a single departure point to a single destination point."

"Exactly." The Doctor's eyebrows drew close together. "How do you know so much?"

"Like I said. I've seen them before."

"Yes, well…" The Doctor sounded dubious, but continued. "These time tunnels can be destroyed, but then one pops up with the exact same departure and destination points, but perhaps a degree over from its predecessor."

"Reconstructed."

"And hastily so. But each is perfect with no flaws. The mechanics behind it are absolutely astounding." Admiration crept into his voice.

Jack recognized the same faraway expression his Doctor carried on his face when his brain was wandering into technical values. It was the first real hint of similarity he'd witnessed between the two, and it gave him an odd sense of hope. "Doctor, you do remember these things are trying to kill you."

The Doctor snapped his attention back to Jack, looking affronted. "That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a fine piece of work when I see one!"

"Are you going to appreciate these soldiers right before they mow you down?"

The corner of the Doctor's mouth quirked in a partial smile. "Why not. I'd rather die a happy man than not."

Jack barked out a laugh. This Doctor would take some getting used to.


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor did feel better, and found himself infinitely grateful for the company. He finished his chocolate, discreetly licking the tips of his fingers rather than rub chocolate into his jacket. Then he looked at the state of his jacket, and snorted lightly. For that matter, his hand probably weren't the cleanest. He resorted to lightly brushing them on the fabric.

The man standing across from him was circling, his own hands tucked into the deep pockets of his longcoat. He seemed very sure of himself, which was something the Doctor wasn't used to seeing in his travels. Oh, he had well meaning companions, sure, but they were always a bit naïve. It was to be expected. Tegan was probably the best example of a happy accident, someone who knew little yet managed to, for the most part, do the right thing.

Then there was Nyssa. Very intelligent indeed. They'd had many conversations. Yet the weight of responsibility he felt for her forced him into a difficult role, where he was more her guardian than a friend. Once the wall started to cave, he quickly put it back up again. And Turlough - yes, that had been nice. They were almost talking and interacting on the same level before he left to remain home on Trion. But surely there were others? He had vague memories of other companions, glimpses in his mind. It wasn't until he came face-to-face with someone of his past that his memories were allowed to surface. There were too many over the hundreds of years, he had to keep them tucked away in neat compartments.

He was still desperately trying to relegate Adric's tragedy to that corner.

Peri, he hoped, was out of danger. He'd decided she could travel with him right before the TARDIS gave a sickening lurch. It took one quick glance at the coordinates for realization to set in, and for the Doctor to quickly usher her out without a word. The minute the door closed, the recall circuit was fully activated. Only he didn't go to Gallifrey. He ended up on Orta.

It was with surprise that he realized he'd uttered this last bit of information aloud, telling Jack how he'd arrived at the planet's capitol city. Jack was squatting in front of him, his hands clasped over his knees as he took in every word. Something about his gaze was disquieting. The Doctor couldn't put his finger on what it was, but the man seemed to feel more at ease with him that two people who just met had any right to. At least, he seemed more at ease with the Doctor than the Doctor did with him. Or did he?

Jack seemed very out of place, much as Doctor himself felt. The Doctor had a sudden, strong notion that this man knew far more about matters than he was letting on. But something about his presence was comforting, and the Doctor could scarcely remember a time when he felt as a contemporary, rather than the being who supposedly knew all. That grew tiresome.

He winced and put a hand to his forehead.

Jack leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. A bit of a headache." He winced again and gave his earphones an experimental tug. The crescendo of stomping assaulted his ears, and he gasped and squeezed the earphones back into place. After a few deep breaths, he looked up at Jack. "Interesting. I believe the sound is actually being transmitted. Your earphones are blocking out that particular frequency."

"Transmitted from where?"

"The center of the capitol? I don't know. I'm sure it's a sort of mask, something to keep the pursued from knowing exactly where the soldiers are."

"And the constant sound would wear down anyone's nerves, to the point where they can no longer think. It would numb the brain."

"Yes. One would simply collapse, as you found me."

"How far is the capitol building?"

The Doctor shook his head wearily. "I've lost my bearings. I would need to go back outside and have a look around. Why, what do you have in mind?"

"I think it's more what you might have in mind." Jack pulled out the scrap of paper, and handed it over.

The Doctor looked at it, then pulled out his half-frames and angled the paper in the faint light. He peered over the glass to see Jack grinning at him. "What is it now?"

Jack couldn't help himself. His grin widened. "The glasses. You have them."

"Yes!" Enough of this! The Doctor snatched his glasses from his nose in irritation. "Surely you've seen glasses before, being from Earth and all?"

"Of course."

"Then why the fascination?" The Doctor quickly pocketed the spectacles and stood. "For all that, why the fascination with me?"

Jack looked startled. "Sorry?"

"You keep staring at me as if you know me. But I'm quite certain I've never seen you before." He watched Jack open then close his mouth. As Jack's hand snaked out of his long sleeve to rub his face, and a thick leather band caught the Doctor's eye.

Quick as a flash he was in front of Jack, holding the wrist out of his sleeve, exposing the bracelet. "What is this, hmm? A time agent? Did the council send you here? Are they behind this after all?"

"No!" Jack tried to pull his arm back, but the Doctor held on tightly.

"Then why are you here? Are you following me? Making sure I obey the rules? I've heard of you lot, you know. Manipulative, conniving. . ." he flung the arm down in disgust. "At first I thought you were a myth, then I saw one. Time agents. What do you know of it?" He turned his back on Jack. "Just what the universe needs. More beings meddling."

"That's the nature of beings, Doctor. To meddle." Jack stood. "You of all people should know that."

The comment stung, but the Doctor chose to ignore it. "You've been following me, haven't you? What do you want with me?"

"I don't want anything! I came here to help you! Because - because I know you."

Of all the… "You most certainly do not!"

"I do know you. A future version of you." He held up his wrist exposing the band. "I'm from the fifty-first century, Doctor. Check out the display."

The Doctor gave Jack a sidelong glance. There was no reason to think he was lying, and the truth was the Doctor was desperate to believe him. He glanced at the display, then studied it more closely. Definitely different from the few he'd seen. More sophisticated. But along the lines of fifty-first century technology? "You've made some adjustments," he observed.

"One picks things up here and there," Jack said, yanking his sleeve down irritably.

The Doctor felt the tension in his shoulders slowly melt away. So that was it. That explained the odd familiarity between them. "How do you know me?" he asked hesitantly.

Jack straightened his shirt. "We traveled together for a short time. You saved my life. I saved yours."

"Hmm. I suppose that sounds about par for the course."

"You sent me here to help - you. Dammit." Jack rubbed the back of his neck, then pointed to the paper. "You - said to give you that." He didn't look pleased with that statement, either.

The Doctor frowned suddenly. "I was in the street. I thought I saw the TARDIS."

"You did."

The Doctor's head spun. He couldn't think straight. So he did as was normal to him when he had no control of a situation - he bristled. "How can I believe you? For all I know you're not only a time agent, you're a thief and a liar! What have you done with my TARDIS?" Throwing out all options. Seeing which one would bite into this man and take hold.

"What? I don't have it! I traveled in it, in his TARDIS. The Doctor brought me here to help you, and said he couldn't interfere!"

It did sound like something he'd say. The Doctor's eyes narrowed, and he studied the man before him. His breathing was heavy, his eyes wide and hiding nothing. His palms were upturned in a plea for understanding. But there was a mastery about him. He held his posture with an air of confidence. A leader, then. But willing to be subordinate in a situation he didn't understand. The Doctor felt confused, but didn't question the decision of a future self. He glanced at the paper, and fished for his glasses once more. The time agent looked troubled, and not the least bit threatening.

The Doctor relented. "Tell me. How many of my selves have you met in your travels?"

"You're the third."

"Really? Are the other two in my future?"

"Yep."

He thought for a moment. After all, it was only normal for one to want to know…"Am I doing well, then?"

Jack grinned. "You're fantastic."

"Am I? That's very encouraging." But he didn't feel encouraged. He should give this man the benefit of the doubt. He had saved him, after all, and asked for nothing in return. Maybe he was telling the truth. He wanted that. Maybe his future selves were smarter than he was. They definitely had some information he did not possess. Well, of course they did! "Tell me this as well. Did my future self explain what he was handing to you?"

"No. He just said to give it to you."

Terrific. He must have a stern talk with himself one day. "That's a pity. Because I don't understand this at all."

It took only two steps for Jack to stand directly in front of him. "What do you mean?" It was more a demand than a question.

The Doctor sighed and turned the paper to face Jack. "I mean, this makes no sense to me whatsoever."

"What do you mean, it makes no sense? You wrote it!"

"Apparently. I've only your word to take for it." His eyebrows rose apologetically. "But I assure you, this is perfectly meaningless."

"No. No, it isn't meaningless! You're my ticket back out of here! The other you isn't coming back for me, you're supposed to get me back to Earth! Those soldiers," he pointed to the door of the cellar, "are on Earth and my people are trying to stop them - without me! I'm here trying to save your ass, so don't dare tell me you can't read what's on that paper!"

"Oh, I can read it. But it means nothing." Apparently that was the wrong response.

He gasped as an arm flung out and quickly slammed him against the wall, bracing him across his collarbone. The Doctor's hands flew up in defense. "Attacking me won't help! It sure doesn't give me time to think!"

Jack instantly backed off, his eyes glowering but his breathing steadying. "I'm sorry." He turned and bent over, resting his hands on his knees, lowering his head. "Damn. I'm so sorry." He rose and faced the Doctor again. "It's okay, really. I-I don't know what came over me!"

The only thing that kept the Doctor from leaving him at that moment was the fact that he obviously came out of the TARDIS. "It's the stress, I'm sure," the Doctor said, forcing his voice to lighten. "I do believe although we can't actually hear that infernal stomping, it's resonating through our bodies. We're on edge."

"You don't seem to be."

"I hide it well." The Doctor examined the paper once more.

He could hear Jack shuffling in annoyance. "I tried asking you about that paper, but you weren't very forthcoming. Said you didn't want to tell me in case I'm caught."

"I have that much faith in you, huh?"

Jack snorted. "That's what I said."

"Still - this is obviously useful. I suppose I'll know what to do with it when the time comes." He pocketed the paper and contemplated this new companion, in whom his future self must have a modicum of trust. "In the meantime, I'd be quite happy to take out a few of these speakers, if we can find them."

"Destruction of public property?" Jack grinned. "Count me in."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They climbed the stairs cautiously. The Doctor put a finger to his lips, like that was necessary, and slowly opened the cellar door. He peeked around the corner before stepping out.

Jack was right on his heels, ready to snatch the man back and run at the slightest movement. He realized the protective streak he felt for his Doctor had grown quickly to include this incarnation, and he was perfectly fine with that. The Doctor's back straightened as he paused for a moment's thought, then signaled for him to follow. Jack did so, silently. Together they peeked outside the building.

Jack only had to tip the earphone from his ear to know that the stomping could still be heard at an amazing volume. He doubled and replaced it, earning a stern look from the Doctor, who grabbed him by the arm, fussing. "Stop that. Keep them on. I can't have you go all prone on me."

Jack nodded. The Doctor still looked exhausted. Well, one nap in four days and even Time Lords would look a bit unraveled. But it was something else. Jack felt tired himself, almost overwhelmed, and it was all he could do to drag his legs along to follow the Doctor's lead.

The streets were oddly deserted, but the stomping was evident. They ran from one corridor-like street to the next, for blocks upon blocks. The buildings looked the same. The streets looked the same. Jack realized it was no wonder the Doctor couldn't get his bearings.

"It has to be here," he heard the Doctor mutter, or did he see his lips move? Jack had his hands on his earphones, not hearing the stomps but feeling the need to block them out just the same. Even the Doctor was starting to double over, his face a mask of confusion, sweat dripping down the tanned, grimy face. He pointed to a gargoyle which perched on the corner of a building. "Look. They're on every corner, on every street."

"Big brother is watching you," Jack confirmed, and pulled his weapon from his jacket. He pushed the Doctor down into a crouch, took aim, and fired.

The gargoyle exploded, shooting shrapnel in every direction. Jack ducked, half over the Doctor, half hiding his own head. He felt the Doctor snatch him by the shoulder and shove him against the wall. The two men hid themselves as debris rained down, a seemingly impossible amount of debris for the small stone statue.

Jack finally uncovered his eyes once his back was no longer being pelted. He saw the Doctor looking up, aghast. "It didn't work," he said. "No, keep your earphones on."

"Not even a little?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Not at all. If anything I'm certain the sound is louder than before." He grabbed the lapel of Jack's coat, and tugging. "Come on. They'll have seen the shot at least, if not have heard it. We have to go."

Jack nodded and stumbled for a few steps before keeping pace with the Doctor. They quickly dove into yet another abandoned building. There the Doctor fell heavily to his knees.

"Doctor!" He tried to raise him, but the Doctor fell limp. Startled, Jack rolled him over to lay on the floor. He didn't like the weakness this Doctor was exhibiting. Not when he was Jack's ticket out of here. Not when Jack was supposed to be saving his ass!

The Doctor caught his breath, then gave a single nod. "Sorry. I seem to be more tired than I thought."

"No, it's not just that," Jack said. "There's something going on here."

The Doctor nodded. "This is more than a sound. It's a psychic attack. I can't think straight."

"You seem to be doing just fine."

"No, there's something I'm missing." He sat up with Jack's help. "My other self, did he say anything else?"

"Only to give you that paper. He seemed certain you would know what to do with it."

"But why? Why was I so certain?"

Jack thought for a moment, not liking how the Doctor's face was growing pale. "Wait a minute. He said his time stream had been manipulated, for your capture. Doctor, you're not even supposed to be here. Someone put you here."

"Well it's obvious someone put me here! I didn't come here." He grabbed Jack's sleeve.

"What's going on, what's happening?"

"I've just had a horrible sense of doom."

"That's a bit dramatic, isn't it?"

"And accurate. Look out!" He was staring upwards, and shoved Jack away as hard as he possibly could.

The building collapsed on top of them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Darkness.

The Doctor coughed and groaned roughly at the pain that flared through his body. This spawned another cough, which caused more pain. He gasped and forced himself to be still, trying to swallow, trying to access the situation.

His head throbbed. His legs wouldn't move. More concerning was the weight he felt on his chest, the way it was heavier on one side than the other, as though propped. He wiggled one arm free and tried to raise his hand to his head. He shoved something heavy to one side, and blinked in the spotted light which suddenly revealed disaster.

The building was half-standing. The floor above them had come down. Slabs of concrete and debris littered the area, covering his body. He slowly raised his head to see a large slab of concrete pinning the rest of him, precariously balanced upon a slab which lay on his extended right arm, holding his shoulder at an odd angle. His head lolled back, and he steadied his breathing. Not good. He could hear the stomping, but somehow it wasn't as loud as before. With his free hand he checked for his earphones. They had been knocked askew, covering one ear only. He removed them. The stomping was there, but more faint. Interesting.

He coughed again, clearing his throat. "Jack?" he asked cautiously. He tried to crane his head around to look. "Jack, can you hear me? Are you all right?" There was no response.

The Doctor's lips pressed into a thin, determined line. He studied the slab which covered him. There was no way he could free himself without help. That didn't stop him from trying, however, and he fingered the cracks and crevasses. There was no good way to leverage the concrete from his angle. And yet he tried, holding his breath, then crying out in pain and frustration as he was forced to subside. "Jack?" he asked hopefully. "Answer me, please!" He craned his head around once more, and stopped breathing.

Jack was just behind him, a few feet away. His eyes were wide open, his mouth gaped in a silent yell. His head wound had gelled. He too was covered, but it was obvious his head had taken the brunt of the blow, killing him instantly.

Doctor turned his gaze back, shocked, staring at the ceiling. "No," he whispered. "This can't be happening." Anger erupted within him. "NO!" He pressed at the concrete again and yelled out, furious at losing his new friend, furious at his own inability to cope with the situation. He used to be better than this! He was better than this! He screwed his eyes tight shut. "Okay. Enough, enough, just think. Come on, think!" He raised his head. Wrong move. The concrete shifted ever so slightly, pressing on him more heavily.

He cried out, then stifled the sound and concentrated on just breathing. "Okay. Not the best situation, eh?" he tried to comfort himself. Talking to himself was second nature, especially when one had several selves around. "Still we've been in worse." His mind drew a blank. He was trapped, literally, on an alien planet, and his help was dead. There was no one else. No one else. He was alone. Completely.

He would die.

It was the first time that thought had come to him. Before, he would just regenerate. What good would that do now? If he regenerated, he would still be trapped. It was possible the process would actually kill him, given the situation. "So this is what's it's come to, is it? All that for nothing? All this time?" He slammed his hand down on the ground. "I'll not come to this! This isn't it, do you understand?" He didn't know who he was talking to, but he kept railing until his throat hurt.

Death. Death wasn't possible. He wasn't old enough. He wasn't finished. He wasn't ready! The Doctor shoved at the concrete, yelling loudly, slapping his hand on the slab, pushing on it until it stubbornly slid onto his chest. The string of words he let out would have put any being on any world to shame.

Death. He wouldn't succumb. This wasn't the end.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The hours passed, and the speckled light which crept through the cracks in the building eased into twilight.

Jack gasped loudly behind him.

The Doctor jolted and gave a quick yell in surprise, then cried out as the slab shifted once more. He collected himself and slowly turned his head to see Jack desperately sucking in air, looking around him in terror which slowly eased into realization. The dusty, dark head fell back as he visibly steadied himself.

There were few times when the Doctor found himself speechless. He didn't like them.

Jack finally shoved at the debris covering him, giving small gasps of pain as he did so. He pressed his hand to his head and winced, then noticed the Doctor for the first time.

"Doctor?" Jack slowly turned to his hands and knees and crawled to him, clearing away more debris before his hand hovered over the concrete slab. "Shit."

"Not as colorful as what I said, but accurate." He couldn't help staring at the man.

"Don't do that."

"You were dead." The Doctor said slowly, deciding he didn't care how shocked he sounded. "You had to be." His mind was racing.

"It's not exactly something I bring up to people I've just met," Jack said painfully, but wryly. "Hi, my name's Jack. I work for Torchwood. Oh, by the way…I can't die."

"What?" the Doctor asked softly. It wasn't possible. He eyed the man's profile, his body, the way he ran his fingers over the slab of concrete. "Do you regenerate somehow?"

"No. I just can't die."

He tried to work with the pieces, but they didn't fit. "That's not possible. You're from Earth. How did this happen?"

Jack huffed sadly. "It's a long story."

The Doctor tried to move, and deemed it a mistake as his body protested violently. "It looks like I'm not going anywhere," he gasped.

"No. I'll save it for later." Jack continued to recover his strength as he analyzed the situation.

The Doctor left it alone as pain spiked through his leg. The sudden hope that he would be freed battled with the realization that his time was running out. "Please hurry," he breathed out carefully. "You'll need to brace the concrete."

"I know, I know. I'm thinking." Jack scurried around, looking for smaller pieces of concrete to use as a wedge.

"Well think quickly!" The Doctor composed himself and swallowed. Breathing was much more difficult. The slab was settling, pressing on his lungs. His chest wouldn't expand to take in a breath. Not good. "Do you notice something?" he forced out.

"What?"

The Doctor gritted his teeth against a wave of pain. "You're not wearing your earphones."

Jack's hands flew to the sides of his head. "The stomping."

"It's these buildings…streets…acting as amplifiers. Buildings are the speakers, streets are the channels by which the sound travels..." He gasped as the weight settled further, and had no choice but to recline completely and let Jack do the work. "Hurry."

"Doc, just stay still. How many of these soldiers have you actually seen?"

"Seen? Oh, many ran past me."

"But how many did you actually see?"

The Doctor felt his brow furrow as he thought. "That's a good question. Now that you mention it, I'm not quite sure.

"Is it possible you saw them coming and hid, and thought you heard a multitude pass by you?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Of course! The amplification. Breaking down the body's central nervous system. Rather like Chinese water torture." He clamped his lips together.

"Doctor! Hang on." Jack returned with three large chunks of concrete. He set them down with a muffled thump, and studied the slab's placement. "I can wedge this right beside you."

"Good chap," the Doctor forced out. "Hope the slab doesn't break."

"That goes without saying. Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Hard to tell. I feel sort of…numb." In fact he wasn't sure if his leg was even there. Or his right arm, for that matter.

"So if this cuts a leg off you won't feel it."

His eyebrows raised. "Your humor is disturbing. But accurate." He gasped suddenly. "Or not!"

"I'm hurrying. . ."

"Jack…AHH!"

"Got it! There!" The Doctor experienced a sudden release of pressure. He felt hands underneath his arms and suffered the wonderful indignity of being pulled harshly backward, nearly losing his trousers.

The Doctor breathed in breath after glorious breath, letting his eyes close and his body go limp. He felt Jack prodding his chest and legs, but didn't feel like batting the hands away. His right shoulder was on fire. "Seems I'm to thank you again."

"It's why I'm here."

"Quite." The Doctor rubbed his chest gingerly with his good hand. "Can't die, eh?" He took off the half-useless earphones and winced at them.

"Nope."

"I'm not sure if that's convenient or not." He eyed his new friend from his prone position. "But I take it we'll know each other for a very long time."

Jack grinned.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They picked their way out of the rubble and into the night. The stomping was much louder outside, but distorted. Jack's earphones were ruined in the collapse. The Doctor's worked in one ear only, so it was left behind. Once outside they breathed deeply, and hesitated.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

Jack nodded, secretly appreciating the Doctor's concern. "I'm used to it. Unfortunately."

The blue eyes narrowed at him. "You've a nasty head wound."

"It'll heal quickly. Like you." The Doctor had been cradling his arm but waved off any attempts to exam it.

"How did it happen?" The Doctor asked him.

"What?"

"Your apparent immortality."

Jack had never thought about it before, and he wasn't sure he liked the word. He noticed this Doctor didn't seem as bothered by the concept as his own incarnation. "A friend sacrificed herself."

"That's quite a sacrifice."

"You don't seem bothered by this. Your other self was very bothered, for a while."

The Doctor shrugged. "I simply don't believe in immortality. Everything must come to an end." He leveled a gaze at Jack. "Everything."

Jack shook his head. "You're the same person. How can you not be bothered by it now, and be bothered by it later?"

"Obviously something happens between now and then to change my mind," the Doctor said. "Without this odd circumstance I would still be trapped in that broken building. Therefore, for the moment, I'm going to count the odd circumstance as a fortuitous one, and be grateful, and try not to question it too much. Besides, we have other things to worry about." He dismissed any further discussion on the matter, and looked around them. "I hate grids. I'm convinced they were created merely to cause confusion."

Jack couldn't help but wish his Doctor had been more forgiving of the 'odd circumstance'. But then, his own Doctor had been closer to it, directly affected by it.  
"Grids are nice and linear," he argued. "You know where you're going."

"Really? Do you know where you're going?"

"Uh," Jack looked around. "No." Story of his damned immortal life.

"Like I said. I hate grids. At least we have a reference point now." The Doctor nodded half-heartedly at the ruin behind them.

"So we can look for the capitol."

"Yes. Unless it's cleverly disguised and looks like all this. We could have passed it ten times over without knowing." The Doctor looked skywards. "What we need, is a higher vantage point."

Jack eyed the buildings around them. "I don't see where you're going to get one. You can get to the highest floor of those buildings and all you'll see are the top floors of the rest of them. Even getting on the roof isn't going to tell you much if the capitol looks the same as the others."

"Oh, it's a clever disguise, isn't it?" The Doctor was impressed again, which annoyed Jack to no end. "But then for a society as carbon-copy as this one it would stand to reason."

"What would?"

"Well, not creating anything to stand out, of course! No individualism! Just straight, stark lines. Look behind you." Jack glanced at the rubble from which they had emerged. "Even that pile has symmetry to it. Of course one could argue that a being will see symmetry where it wants to, but the fact remains that it is symmetrical, and exceedingly so!" As he talked, he knelt down to study the rubble further, rubbing his forefinger over his bottom lip as he thought. "This was planned," he muttered. "This building was meant to detonate. See how it collapsed in on itself, so as not to disturb the surroundings."

Jack knelt beside him. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning," the Doctor's expression turned inward, "someone knew we were going to be in there."

Jack quickly shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. They could have planned to demolish this building beforehand."

"But what about the stomping? Mm? Why would they demolish a building which would interfere with the one system that keeps prisoners from. . .oh."

"Doctor?"

"Oh. . .that's my fault." Wonder had crossed his face now. "Come on."

Jack was beginning to realize these Doctors were more similar than he'd at first thought. "Doctor, what's going on?"

"This." The Doctor pulled out the paper with his good hand and passed it to Jack.

Jack took it, and again shook his head. "It doesn't make any more sense to me now than it did then. You'll need to explain."

"These are the coordinates for that building."

"So these are coordinates?"

"Absolutely." The Doctor stood and surveyed his surroundings. "It seems my future self did know something I didn't. Ortarian history." His voice rose. Jack watched as color returned to the Doctor's cheeks in the rush of an adrenaline flow.

"I don't follow."

"I understand you can't tell me much about my own history. But tell me this. Do you know how many regenerations have passed from me to him?" Blue eyes pierced his. "I need some approximation of time."

"I've met two - of you." Jack licked his lips, preparing himself for yet another odd conversation. "The Doctor I'm traveling with now hasn't been around too long. Maybe two earth years. The previous one, I'm not too sure. Rose mentioned traveling for a year. She said he - you - were a bit loopy when she first met him, so I guess you were coming out of a regeneration."

"That sounds rather fast," the Doctor said.

Jack nodded. "Do you remember owning a garish multicolored coat?"

The Doctor merely raised his eyebrows.

"I'll take that as a no. My Doctor's mentioned that coat, said he wore it a lot. I hoped he was kidding. So we may can guess three incarnations at least. That's all I know."

"You said these soldiers are on Earth, in your time?" The Doctor asked quickly.

Difficult question. "I'm not sure I have a timeline any more than you do these days, but yes."

"And yet there are not many soldiers."

"No, not yet. I didn't know if more were coming. Our hands were full with the few we had."

The Doctor was nodding and pacing, bracing his arm, showing more energy than he had since Jack met this incarnation. Definitely an adrenaline flow. "And we've since established there aren't as many soldiers here as we think." He hesitated and studied the remaining concrete wall, tapping his finger on it. "I think they're in survival mode. They're looking for recruits. They're pulling people from different planets in different universes in order to recreate their army. People with knowledge of the worlds they're from, so their planets are more easily conquered." He turned quickly and held his hand out for the paper.

"What does that have to do with the building being demolished?" Jack asked as he handed it over.

"Like I said, the explosion was planned. I'm the one who demolished the building. Never thought I'd be caught in the backwash. That's karma for you."

"I'm lost."

The Doctor looked up. "The very first time the Ortarians came to earth, I sent an explosive device down the portal." He looked behind him. "It effectively closed that gate. I thought that was the end of them." He sighed heavily. "How stupid of me. I should have realized they would have more portals and access to other worlds."

"You were concerned with the threat to Earth at the time."

"I was arrogant and naïve. But then it seemed so many were gunning for earth, these soldiers were just next in line." His voice had fallen into a frustrated mutter as he paced. "I ticked them off the list and moved on. I didn't bother to think about the consequences."

"So you sent a bomb through to keep them from accessing earth."

"And probably killed a few thousand in the process," the Doctor admitted in a lower voice.

"Thousand?"

"They were coming through the portal. I had no choice." His voice was laced with regret.

Jack straightened his back, really studying the Doctor for the first time. He was young, yes, and his whole demeanor seemed more uncertain than the incarnations he was accustomed to. "It's interesting, isn't it? Whoever brought you back here meant for you to get caught in your own blast."

"And apparently I was trying to warn myself." The Doctor flicked the paper. "As usual, I have a hard time listening. But…" he looked around, "if it were here, there were no soldiers going through at the time. This building was empty."

"Meaning you didn't kill anyone. You're absolved."

"Yes. So it seems." The Doctor looked relieved.

"What is it they say about time heals?" Jack ventured.

The Doctor barked a loud laugh, the sobered. "I thought it had worked. Apparently, I merely delayed the inevitable."

Jack looked around him. "You know, Doctor, I doubt they would put a portal in the capitol. Not to transport troops"

"No, I wouldn't think so."

Jack stared at the hundreds upon hundreds of identical structures. "That means there could be more in these buildings."

The Doctor sighed. "In order to access other worlds there would have to be many, many more."

"If you destroyed just the one, why didn't they use another one to get to Earth?"

"It's an interesting question, isn't it?" The Doctor glanced at him.

And suddenly the soldiers were upon them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks to everyone for reading! As you see, I'm posting in bits. I'm paranoid and giving the story another run-through as I add chapters. I did mark the story as complete, and so it is...except for my anal tendencies...stay tuned... -Kam


	4. Chapter 4

"This way!" The Doctor grabbed Jack's sleeve and hoped the man would follow rather than do something rash. This time Jack followed, thankfully, and together they pounded down the street just a step ahead of the soldiers. He kept his injured arm tucked close. A bullet kicked at his heels, and he was glad Jack was adept at firing his weapon and running at the same time.

But suddenly there was nowhere to run. He skidded to a stop, feeling Jack collide with his back. He turned and caught the startled man, keeping him from stumbling while at the same time shoving him towards a door.

The door opened, and a gun was pointed in his face.

The Doctor was pulled back as Jack fired without thought. His head whipped around as he vainly tried to find an escape route. Jack was back in the street, his weapon raised, ready to take down the whole army if need be. "Doctor?"

The Doctor ran to another door, but it wouldn't open. He spun helplessly.

A hand reached from the shadows and grabbed the Doctor's injured arm, making him cry out.

He heard Jack yell his name. Once again a gun pointed at his face, and a voice said, "Don't! Come with me, quickly!" The Doctor tried to pull back, seeing Jack's hands pry at fingers which first held him, then suddenly let him go.

"I'm trying to help you!" the armored man exclaimed. "Now hurry!"

The Doctor didn't bother to send Jack a questioning look. There was no time. He clutched his arm to his chest and followed the soldier inside, hearing Jack slam the door behind him.

They ran down a long hallway, then down flights of stairs. The soldier opened the door to a huge room filled with machinery. The Doctor took pause, but was shoved onto a platform. Jack was pushed beside him, and before either could question the soldier he joined them, and the room vanished.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Doctor slowly opened his eyes, groaning. He blinked rapidly, forcing his surroundings into focus. After days of running from dark building to dark building, the stark brightness of the room stunned him. He squinted against the glare, and to his surprise heard a voice say, "Oh, sorry. It is bright, but you'll get used to it. I'll turn the lights down a bit."

The voice was oddly familiar to the Doctor. He exhaled sharply and blinked, then sat up. He was glad to see Jack was stirring beside him, looking downright pissed.

The soldier peered through the door, then turned back. "Both of you, stay here. I'll find something for you to change into. Don't leave, do you understand? This transmat isn't used very often and they'll trace the signal once they find out it's been activated. That means I don't have very long, so please Doctor, just for once don't go wandering off!" And he closed the door behind him.

Don't go wandering off? The familiarity intrigued him. "He knows who I am!" he said, astonished, and stood slowly. "Jack, it seems we have an ally!"

"Terrific," Jack groused, sitting up and pressing his palm to his head. "Does this ally have any aspirin?"

His own head throbbed as well. "He said the transmat was seldom used. I suspect the settings are a bit out of whack."

"Then it's a good thing we arrived in one piece."

"Indeed." The Doctor studied his friend, noting that his head wound had nearly healed, though it still looked messy. "How do you feel, otherwise?"

"Like shit." Jack rubbed his arm and squinted up at the Doctor through one half-opened eye.

"Yes, well, I wish I could say I felt better."

Jack stood slowly. "Wait a minute. We were just rescued by a soldier?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Are you familiar with the saying about a gift horse?"

"All too."

"Then I suggest we close our eyes."

"Tempting in this light."

"This is nothing. You should have seen the glare before he turned it down."

"You're kidding." Jack winced and doubled over. "Why is everything so bright?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know."

"I feel sick."

The door opened, and the soldier returned. Two black and red soldier uniforms, complete with helmets and weapons, were tossed at their feet. "Put these on. Quickly."

"Why are you helping us?" the Doctor asked. "You know who I am. You know I'm wanted. I wager you're risking your life by doing this."

"You're a good bet."

"Then why?"

There was a long-suffering sigh. "Because, Doctor, you seem to always get yourself into trouble. And if I get you out, maybe you can get me out." The soldier raised his helmet.

The Doctor blinked in astonishment. His mouth opened, but he just blinked again.

"Hello, Doctor." A wry smile appeared, and pale eyes twinkled in amusement. But the ever present tension was still there, marked in new lines on a face that was too young to look so old.

His knees suddenly felt weak, but he kept on his feet. Barely. He felt a hand steady him, and in his graying vision he wasn't sure if it was Jack or…he stumbled back from the grip and regarded his recent past, there before him, staring him in the face, someone he was certain he'd never see again. "I don't believe it." The Doctor took the sight of him in, and breathed deeply. "Turlough? How?"

The ginger man nodded, lowering his helmet to rest on his thin hip bone. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise…what are you doing here?"

"They came to the colony. They took who they could, and killed the rest." There was no beating around the bush. His voice was matter of fact. He shifted his large helmet on his hip, his eyes drifting towards Jack. "I see you've got yourself a new companion."

The Doctor was trying to wrap his mind around what Turlough had said, and the sudden change of topic threw him off. "What? Oh, yes, in a sense. Turlough, this is Captain Jack Harkness. He came here to rescue me." The Doctor's voice faded as events took hold.

Turlough snorted. "Funny, isn't it, Doctor? It must be nice to have friends who care about you." He turned away. "Now put those things on. Quickly. We have to get out of here before they find that the transmat has been activated."

The Doctor didn't like the tone of Turlough's voice, but now wasn't the time for questions. He knelt and loosened his shoelaces one-handed, seeing Jack remove his jacket before kicking off his own shoes.

"I hope the sizes fit," Turlough was saying. "I had to grab the closest things, but they tend to recruit by size. Anyone too large or small, or not fit enough, are terminated."

"Terminated? Killed?" The Doctor was horrified. He carefully shed his tattered clothing and pulled on the suit which he'd been running from for days. "Just like that?"

"We're soldiers here, Doctor. There's no need for anything else."

But anyone too large, too small, not fit enough? "What about medical staff for the wounded?"

"There are no wounded," Turlough said. "The wounded are terminated as well. If a solider is wounded, they are determined too weak."

"That's insane!" Jack exclaimed, and the Doctor agreed, as he gingerly pulled the jumper over his sore arm and zipped in.

Turlough almost sneered. "And how do you play the survival game with your race?"

Now clothed, the Doctor waved Jack down and quickly crossed the room to his old friend. "Turlough, I am so sorry. I should have made sure everything was okay on Trion. I didn't think…I just assumed everything would be okay."

"What would you have done?" Turlough barked a laugh. "If anything, I should have stayed with you." The tension in his face dropped for a moment, and once more the Doctor saw the hesitant young man he was familiar with. But it was only for a moment. The face hardened quickly.

"What exactly happened?" he asked Turlough softly.

It was several moments before Turlough spoke. His chin raised as his jaw clenched. "They were already at Trion when we arrived," he said stiffly. "There was no warning. Everything was just…gone." His voice faded.

So it had happened immediately after they had parted ways. The Doctor winced in regret. "Turlough, I'm so. . ."

"No," Turlough said quickly. "Don't say it."

"How long have you been here?"

"I'm not sure. I lost track of time. Long enough to go through training. Turns out I'm quite handy with this," he held up his gun, "but I wanted to be in the engineering corp."

"Engineering?"

"Biogenetic engineering, to be exact."

The Doctor felt Jack beside him. "You engineer soldiers?" he asked.

"No. We manipulate their coding on the deepest molecular level so they know nothing more than being machines."

It wasn't possible. His friend would never do this. "No. No, that's not you, Turlough, please tell me you weren't going to have any part of it!"

"Or what, Doctor? Die? Remember, I'm not as noble as you." Turlough stepped right up to him, his eyes glowering. "Don't play righteous Time Lord with me. You weren't there. You didn't find your people only to have them wiped out right in front of you! I'm doing what I have to do to survive!"

It was a familiar refrain, and painful to hear. "But you're helping me now," the Doctor pointed out.

"And I know where your TARDIS is," Turlough said. "And when we get there, you're taking me off this planet." He was restless, his weight shifting from foot to foot. His face worked with growing emotion.

"Yes, of course, that's a given." The Doctor's mind raced to keep up with the new information, with the new burden of helping his friend leave. He fought to regain his focus. "But first things first."

"What things?"

The Doctor stared him down. "We have to stop them."

"Are you insane? We have to get away from here!"

Jack stepped in. "Listen to me. They're attacking Earth right now," he said quickly. "There's no telling how many other planets are in danger. Do you want what happened on Trion to happen to Earth? Or any other planet?"

"Well, that boarding school…"

"Turlough!" the Doctor admonished.

"No, no! Of course not…"

"Then help us." Jack held out his hand to Turlough, their gazes locked.

"I…" Turlough's eyes shifted, then narrowed. The Doctor tensed, not liking the change at all. "Hang on. How do I know you're not setting me up? Testing my loyalty?"

"Pardon?"

The gun raised. "How did you get here? You were brought here to test my loyalty! That's it, isn't it? What have I said?" Panic filled Turlough's face. He swallowed hard, then aimed the gun at the Doctor's chest.

"Stop, stop!" Jack raised his hands and stepped in front of the Doctor. "Listen, he doesn't know how he came here. I was sent here to help him. So were you, apparently? Right? You want to help, right? That's why you got us away from the soldiers. Because you don't agree with what's going on. You want to go home."

Turlough was struggling. The Doctor kept still, letting Jack talk, and watching Turlough's reactions. He wondered to what extent the young man had been manipulated. His grip on the gun tightened, loosened, tightened again. It was one thing to escape. It was another to destroy the place.

"You said you've seen the TARDIS," Jack was saying. "How can this be a trap? You know this man. Look at him, and tell me this is a trap."

His eyes flitted from Jack's to the Doctor's. Slowly the gun lowered, and his free hand extended. It took a moment, but Turlough shook Jack's hand.

The Doctor let out a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was tension between the two men, though they eyed each other like dogs marking their territory. He tucked his hands into his pockets and drew the men back to the problem at hand. "Turlough, where have you brought us?"

"The Capitol Building," he responded in a lower voice than he'd been using. "We're near basement level."

"The Capitol Building." Again the Doctor sighed in relief, letting his head fall back. "Finally. Are we safe here?"

"Here, no. But I can take you to my quarters."

The Doctor's brow climbed. "You have your own quarters?"

"Perks of command." Turlough pointed to a pip on his collar. He didn't seem pleased.

"I see. Seems you're moving up in the world," the Doctor said lightly, studying the pip.

"I had knowledge which impressed them. Nothing more." Turlough still seemed to struggle within himself, but it was a sight the Doctor was used to seeing. He wondered if his Trion friend would ever find a sense of peace.

Turlough peeked outside, then replaced his helmet. He pointed to the other helmets. "Stay close behind. Walk as I do, don't slow down for anything. The more purposeful your gait, the less likely we'll be stopped."

"Why would we be stopped?" Jack asked. "We're disguised."

"We should be on the streets. All units have been called out to hunt. We'll need to join with a battalion heading out and branch off from there."

But the Doctor balked. "Turlough, we were cornered on the street. Are you sure no one saw you help us?"

"No." Turlough left it at that, and marched into the hallway. The other two had no choice but to put on their helmets and follow.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Turlough's quarters were practically bare. Jack watched the Doctor as he made a small circle in the center of the room. "No listening devices?"

"I haven't found any." Turlough dropped his helmet on the small bed.

"Still, it wouldn't surprise me."

"Then you've already been discovered. You should run." Turlough sat on the bed and clasped his hand indifferently.

The Doctor gave him a curt glance before responding with a subdued, "yes" and sitting in a chair in the corner. He leaned forward and seemed to study his old traveling companion.

Jack suddenly felt in the way. He did what came naturally when he found himself in a situation like this. He stuck his nose in it. "How long did you two travel together?"

"I don't know. A while," Turlough said.

"How long has it been since you've seen each other?"

"Not as long. But I didn't expect to see you here," he addressed the Doctor. "I've been looking for you, ever since they laid out the search pattern," he admitted. "I broke away several times and looked on my own."

"And yet you thought we were a set-up."

Turlough shrugged.

The Doctor nodded slowly. "I suppose a level of paranoia can tap even the initiated."

"They're known to test our loyalty. It wouldn't take much to dig into my memories and use them against me."

"And yet you risked it."

"Desperate times, Doctor."

Jack shuddered, but the Doctor merely nodded. "What can you tell us about this place?"

Turlough straightened, and it occurred to Jack that although he had a natural slouch in his shoulders, this man held his body as though he was used to being on his guard. His eyes instantly went to the door, then to Jack in a brief, evaluating glance. Jack could see it, the way the light blue gaze swept over him like a visual scanner. Wondering if he could be trusted. Jack had seen it before, many times.

"It's a fortress. No easy way in, or out. The transmat I used had been out of commission for a while but I managed to bypass the lockout for one transport only. Hopefully it won't be traced but I doubt it."

"Why did you bring us to the Capitol?" Jack asked. "Didn't you think it would be more dangerous for us in here?"

"Are you in more danger here, or out there?" He shook his head. "Here you have a disguise and a chance to catch your breath!"

"Turlough, I need to get to the control room. I need to find out where these other portals are." The Doctor leaned forward. "Have you seen it?"

"Doctor, just shutting down these portals is useless. They'll just rebuild them," Jack insisted.

"I know. But it needs to be done."

"Why?"

The Doctor looked up. "If for no other reason, than to prevent the backwash of energy from when I destroy this place."

"When. . ." Jack's words faded into stunned silence. "No. You can't."

"I have to."

"You're talking genocide."

"Yes." The Doctor's gaze was on the floor.

"No. No, Doctor, you can't!" Jack knew. He knew the cost, because of his own Doctor, who had lost everything. He couldn't let it happen. By his reasoning, this could have been the action which started the Doctor down a darker path, one from which he was still reeling, one which fed the quirky behavior that masked his deep pain. Was this where it started, with this one action?

Turlough was studying the Doctor. "There's no other way," he said, though hesitantly. "These soldiers are being genetically manipulated to serve."

"And yet look at you!" Jack's suspicions were suddenly aroused. "If they are being genetically manipulated, why aren't you?"

"What makes you think I haven't been?" Turlough snapped. He stood and flipped down the collar of his shirt. A small disk was scored into puckered and infected skin.

Universal gods, Jack exclaimed inwardly, and winced.

The Doctor stood, then leaned in for a closer look. Anger crossed his face. "What is its  
function?"

"It keeps us in line. Makes sure we obey orders." Turlough flipped his collar up, hiding the disk.

"But aren't you disobeying now?"

"Yes."

"Then why. . ."

Turlough paused in motion, then pulled the back of his shirt from his pants. He turned and raised the fabric, then pulled back a make-shift cloth bandage.

"Oh…" Jack coughed into his hand, forcing the bile back down. "Please tell me you didn't do that to yourself."

"It's the other half. I took it out."

Gorged it out was more likely. If the first wound was bad, this was much worse. The hole was red and puss-filled, edged in black. Jack couldn't imagine the pain it would have caused.

"Turlough. . ." the Doctor exhaled. He put his hand to Turlough's back and led him to the bed, turning him to lay on his stomach. He sat beside the man.

"I had to do it. I heard your name, and it registered inside me. I suddenly knew who I was, where I was. And I wanted to leave. So I got a knife, and used a mirror." He gasped as the Doctor gently examined the tender skin. "I hoped it would give me some autonomy."

"I hope it doesn't get any more infected than it is," the Doctor scolded.

"It's fine. Leave it."

"It isn't fine. Lay still. Do you have an infirmary of some sort?" He sighed and rolled his eyes. "No, no of course you don't. Not if you terminate your injured. But if you have a lab, surely you have some basic medical supplies."

"I've never looked, to be honest." Turlough pushed the Doctor's hand away and sat up. "I've been this way for days. If it was going to become more infected it would have. Help me wrap it back."

"I'll do it," Jack offered, eyeing the way the Doctor was babying his arm. "And while we're playing Doctor…"

"Funny. Turlough, we need to find that lab. Can you take us there?"

Turlough stood and tucked in his shirt. "Most of the guard are still on the street. We'll need to hurry."

"We're right behind you." The Doctor picked up his helmet.

His trust in Turlough surprised Jack. He wasn't sure why, he was still learning about this Doctor. But something about Turlough seemed utterly untrustworthy, and he was concerned for the Doctor's faith in his former companion.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Doctor swallowed hard. Everyone bone in his body screamed for him to flee, but he marched in pace with the rhythm he'd heard in his head for so many days. The soldiers were in block formation, all syncopated into a single glossy black and red unit. They had fallen in at the back of the formation, Turlough leading, Jack behind him, and the Doctor bringing up the rear. The lights overhead reflected off their helmets in a steady, hypnotic stream. And the hallway seemed to stretch forever. In fact, after what seemed like several minutes the Doctor had the unnerving sensation of not moving, of merely stomping in place, for the scenery did not change, the sound remained the same, and the lights carried on and on and on….

A hand gripped his shoulder tightly. He was whipped from the block and shoved into a door, yes, into the door as it hadn't opened quickly enough, and damn but that hurt. The door closed behind them and his helmet was jerked off, nearly taking his head with it. He gasped and blinked rapidly, ready to give Turlough a piece of his mind when he noticed the large man standing before him wasn't Turlough, or Jack. As soon as the thought registered that he was in trouble he felt himself flung chest-first against the wall, his right arm wrenched painfully behind him, the man's weight holding him firm. He yelled, then quickly stifled it, nearly drawing blood from his lip as he bit down hard. A low voice muttered in his ear, "We've been waiting for you."


	5. Chapter 5

"There's been a mistake," the Doctor gritted out. "What do you want with me?"

"We've been watching you and your two friends."

The Doctor tried to peek over his shoulder, and succeeded only in crimping his neck. His arm was jerked upwards once more, making him hiss, but something about the situation had caught his attention, painful though it was. "And you want my help? If you break my arm I'll be of less use to you."

"You are a traitor!"

"If you really thought that, we wouldn't be here in this room, alone. You would have taken me to your boss in hopes of reaping the reward." The Doctor was breathing heavily, but he no longer felt threatened.

Indeed, the grip released. The Doctor groaned as he tried to ease his arm back to a more natural position but it wouldn't move. His body immediately spun and slammed back against the wall, and there was another painful pop in his shoulder. This time, he did cry out, loudly, realizing the joint had been disconnected, then replaced. He closed his eyes tightly, bracing the aching limb. "I don't know whether to thank you or curse you," he gritted through his teeth.

"Curse me, then." The man removed his helmet to reveal hair as blond as the Doctor's. He was nearly half-a-foot taller, and several years older, or at least several years more worn. A scar slanted from his forehead down to one eye, and cut his upper lip into two irregular flaps.

The Doctor forced himself to breathe through his nose, mentally shoving the pain to one side. "I prefer to thank you. You could have turned me in, but you didn't, even though you know I'm hunted. Why?"

"You're right. We need your help."

"We?"

The helmet was tucked underneath the man's arm. "We are small in number."

"A rebellion?"

"If you like."

His mannerism was dry. The Doctor tried to find clues to this man, some way to get into his head. Nothing revealed itself. "What do you want from me?"

"We know of your plan. You'll not succeed without us."

The Doctor pushed away from the wall and stood face to face with the man, peering up into his dark eyes. "Show me the back of your neck."

The man gave a partial smile and turned, flipping his collar down. There was the disk.

"And your back?"

The oddly reflective shirt was raised, and there too was a disk. The Doctor studied it more closely. A faint light showed it was functional. "I don't understand. I thought these things were designed to keep you in line."

"They are. But they don't always take." The shirt was tucked back in, and the large man turned.

The Doctor considered this. "Where are you from?"

"North Colony of the Banswain Sea."

"Banswain Sea. Mouldon System?"

"The same."

Banswain Sea. He'd been there before, once, when he was very young. "But I thought you were telepaths?"

"We are." the man frowned heavily.

The Doctor's eyes lit up with hope for the first time in ages. "I see. And the others you mentioned, are they from the same area?"

"No."

His hopes crashed. His arm throbbed. "So much for a genetic anomaly."

"But we are all telepathic to some degree."

"Really? That's interesting." He pulled at his lip. "Very interesting! And how many are there of you? Exactly?"

"Exactly? Six."

The Doctor gave a single, slow nod. "S-six. Six. You weren't kidding when you said there were a few."

"The universe isn't known to produce many telepaths."

"No. So I assume your ability counters this," he pointed to the back of his own neck, "in some fashion?"

"If it didn't I wouldn't have you here, now would I?"

"Quite. What is your name?" Eyebrows rose. "You know who I am, it's only courteous to tell me who you are."

"Arin Donouth."

"Arin Donouth. It is nice to meet you." The Doctor held out his good hand, but a handshake wasn't forthcoming. He cleared his throat and grasped his sore arm once more. "If you wanted my help, you could have asked rather than abuse me."

"I thought I fixed you."

"Probably a matter of opinion," the Doctor muttered.

"There are some things I can not control. We are not completely free of the system. But we are able to counter aspects of it."

"Because you can communicate outside of the system."

"Precisely."

"And it keeps you sane." The Doctor shook his head in wonder. "Do you know of Turlough, then?"

"I was the one who suggested removing the disk. He never fully conformed himself. There was just enough left to get through to him."

"Yes, he's always been pretty stubborn."

"There's more than that. He's been touched by something larger. He's seen things. It's harder to wipe out. Most of these people, they're simple. They don't know anything exists outside their world. Even the ones who do know of space travel can be simple in their thinking, so they are easy to convert."

"Was the Mouldon System taken?"

"Yes."

"But you aren't a simple people."

"Advanced minds are still subject to death."

The Doctor balked. He turned away. "I am sorry."

"I was one. But as I said before, we are six. I am not completely alone."

His eyes closed. "To loose your entire race, your reason for being. I can't fathom it."

"There now, Doctor. You ran from your own race. Don't play the fool with me. You would just as soon they disappear, wouldn't you?"

"No!" The Doctor spun around. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Even if I do not concur with their politics or way of thinking, I could never wish them dead."

"But you've done it before, haven't you, Doctor? Condemned people to die."

The Doctor shook his head. "How do you know this? Who are you?"

"You said you would help us. How?"

The Doctor's mouth worked. "I need to find where these tunnels converge."

"It just so happens I can take you there." Arin gestured to the door.

"What of my friends?"

"They're safe, as long as they keep their helmets on." Arin handed the Doctor his. The Doctor fumbled it on one-handed, and followed Arin through the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was several moments before Jack realized the Doctor was no longer behind him. He cursed underneath his breath, wondering how to get Turlough's attention without raising an alarm. For that matter, how was the Doctor snatched without anyone responding? Were they all so hypnotized by the long march? He cursed again, berating himself for letting his guard down. The empty space behind him bothered him, and he allowed himself two large steps back, to walk in the Doctor's abandoned place. No one responded. He did see a slight shift in Turlough's posture as he sensed the sudden vacancy behind him. As they rounded yet another corner, he peeled off down a separate corridor, and Jack followed, mimicking Turlough's walk, swinging his arms in rhythm with his steps, his chin high, his shoulders tight. They walked until the block had cleared the entrance to the hall.

Turlough spun. "What was that about?" he demanded, his voice slightly muffled by the helmet. He instantly took in the Doctor's absence.

"We have to find him."

"What happened?"

"I don't know! He just wasn't there."

"Some friend you are." Turlough removed his helmet and glared at Jack.

"Oh, this is my fault?"

"He was behind you! How could you not notice if he was gone! I noticed the moment you stepped away from me!"

"I don't know! It's these lights, this…" he made a circular motion with his hand, "this constant cadence. I was taken in by it. It felt like sleepwalking."

"I haven't noticed."

"Maybe you're more used to it!"

Turlough's lips pressed tightly together. He looked around sharply. "We need to get out of this hall. Where did you notice he was missing?"

"I'll see if I can find the spot, but I'm not promising anything." Jack replaced his helmet angrily. He waited for Turlough to purposefully lead the way down the hall, and matched his gait.

"Here, I think," he said, glancing around. He ventured further down the hall, and found an alcove with a door. Turlough shouldered past and opened it quickly, peered inside, then closed it with a huff.

"Who would have taken him?"

"I don't know," Turlough muttered. "We need to get back to my quarters. Now."

But Jack stopped him, his eyes fixed on a watching figure at the end of the hallway. It turned and walked quickly away, and very unlike any other soldier they'd seen. "Go, go, go!" Jack pushed at Turlough, and together they ran after the figure.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Doctor was staring at a TARDIS.

It wasn't actually a TARDIS. But the center console of the room sure looked like the familiar column in his engine room.

He was so shocked that he stood silently for several moments before slowly walking around the lit fixture, his arms limp by his side. He circled it several times, walking more rapidly with each pass as his irritation grew. He finally stopped, studying the fixture, his fist pressed hard against tight lips. He pointed angrily. "I recognize this design."

"I thought you might."

The Doctor turned. "What do you know?"

Arin gazed almost lovingly at the glowing tube as he walked towards it. "I know this is the heart of everything on this planet, and everything related to it." He stopped, merely inches from the glow, his face illuminated with it's strange light. His hands hovered, caressing the air around it. "And I know it is nearly impossible to destroy," he said in a low breath.

The Doctor's anger mounted. "That's because you can't destroy it. You have to kill it."

Arin looked surprised. "Kill it?"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking." The Doctor approached Arin and stood nose to nose. "What else do you know," he asked suspiciously.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Oh, come on! It's obvious you've made the connection between that device and myself. Not many people would recognize a time corridor manipulator, never mind put two and two together with Gallifrey." He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

A smile slowly crossed the man's face, and the Doctor suddenly wished he hadn't asked.  
A gun appeared, pointed straight at him. The blond hair darkened. The eyes glinted. And the laugh was all too familiar.

The Doctor groaned, "oh no," and slowly backed away to sag against the wall, his exhaustion once again closing in on him. His sigh was heavy as he mentally kicked himself for being a fool. "I should've known." And he should have. The minute he walked into that room he should have been on his guard. He knew what he was looking at. But his senses were dulled, his reactions sluggish.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Doctor!" The Master smiled broadly before allowing his mouth to curve down into a frown. "And not entirely unexpected."

"I aim to please," the Doctor responded lightly.

"Hardly."

"You've been perfecting your ability to take on a disguise, I see. And the backstory? Very convincing. Why give away the game so soon?"

"I've never been known for my patience. And I was just dying to come face to face with you again." The Master smirked.

The Doctor fixed his eyes on the column. "So what is it this time? Still intent on taking over a galaxy? Any galaxy? Same song, different day?"

"Nothing so mundane."

"You can't have Earth." The Doctor's voice lowered.

The Master laughed. "Oh, Doctor! I don't want Earth! Such a puny planet, no longer worth my time."

"Which, then? Oina Six? Cortu? The Vesper Belt?"

"Oh, think much larger, my dear Doctor. Much larger!" The gun swung back upward to point to his chest.

The Doctor tried to think. He winced, forcing his mind to focus, to make sense of events. Why was he so tired? Was it this room? He couldn't hear anything but there did seem to be a weigh pressing down on him, filling him with the need to curl up and close his eyes as he drifted. Stop it, he ordered himself. Think! He pushed himself from the wall, but stayed rooted to the spot. "You've taken control of a planet with genetically altered soldiers. People who can't feel anything, who respond only to commands. People who are ruthless and wouldn't bother to question your actions, especially on a suicide mission!"

"Now, now, Doctor! What makes you think this would be a suicide mission?"

"Because there is only one reason you would come here! And it isn't just these soldiers!"

The Master looked pleased, and it chilled his gut. "You impress me! Go on."

The Doctor palmed the side of his head as though the action would force the words out. "The portals. Time corridors. If you control the planet, you control them. You can take over any planet in any system at any time. But that leaves me to wonder, why now?"

"I've been watching this planet for a long time, Doctor. It feels like eons! And I had to wait for the time to ripen."

"For?"

The Master walked toward the Doctor, stopping only when he could press the tip of the gun into the Doctor's sternum. "You."

"Why me?"

"Don't play coy. I need you, Doctor. For what I must accomplish, what we WILL accomplish, I need you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The man was gone. Jack swore underneath his breath and jerked Turlough aside. "You hear it?"

"They're coming." Turlough looked around, then pointed to an air shaft. "Up there."

Jack looked up. "You're kidding."

"I can't tell you how many times I've found myself in one of these things," Turlough muttered and signaled for Jack to give him a boost.

The sound was closer and there was no where to run. Jack leaned back against the wall and threaded his fingers together. Turlough was as light as he looked, thankfully, and had pried the grate open in seconds. Jack hoisted him through, crossed the corridor, and took a running jump to grab hold of the lip of the opening. With Turlough's help he scampered through, with the grate being replaced just as the soldiers rounded the corner.

The two men sat silently, listening to the boots pound past. Even once the sound had died down, Jack hardly dared to move.

Turlough nudged his shoulder. "We should go."

"Go where?" Jack practically hissed. "We don't know where the Doctor's gone." His anger was mounting.

"Someone took him."

"From underneath our noses?"

"It's easily done. You don't know these soldiers like I do."

"It's better than the alternative, I guess," Jack muttered. He hated that old wounds were resurfacing, but his encounter with the other Doctor had opened it.

"He's not dead."

"That's not what I mean."

"What, then?"

Jack sighed, shifting his weight to kneel, one knee raised, ready to move on. "He could have ditched us."

Turlough's expression was almost comic. Copper eyebrows rose over surprised eyes. "He wouldn't do that!"

"How well do you know the man?"

"Well enough!"

"He ditched you, didn't he? And look what happened."

"I ditched him, if it comes down to it," Turlough said hotly. "I had a chance to go to my own world. I left him."

"And look where it got you."

Turlough fisted Jack by his jumper, then grunted and shoved him back. Off-balance, Jack hit the side of the metal conduit hard. Turlough cursed under his breath as both men froze, waiting.

"You have no right," Turlough finally ventured to say.

"He abandoned you to your fate!"

"It was my decision. He didn't know!"

"Then why are you pissed at him?" Jack insisted.

Turlough's mouth curled into a snarl, then pressed together. "Because he should have known. He knows everything else."

"He's a busy body, but couldn't be bothered to make sure your own planet was safe to return to."

"He had no reason to suspect it wasn't. They said things had changed."

Jack snorted. "Seems they were right."

Turlough wasn't happy. He pushed past Jack with a mumbled, "let's get going" and Jack followed, crawling on his hands and knees.

"You've all but admitted it wasn't his fault," Jack pressed. "Are you sure that's why you're angry with him?"

"I'm angry with myself," Turlough spat. "I shouldn't have left him. Then he had to go off and find someone else."

"Jealous?" Jack smirked, and dodged a boot aimed back at his face. "Whoa, easy! It's okay if you are. I've been jealous of his traveling companions before." Namely because they managed to stay on the TARDIS.

"Where'd he find you, anyway?" Turlough asked.

"Here. On this planet."

Turlough stopped and turned. "Here?"

"Yep. We've only recently met."

"You're a liar."

"I'm not. How much do you know about the Doctor?"

Turlough paused, then sat. "What are you asking me?"

"You know he regenerates?"

"Yes. I've seen other incarnations."

This was startling news. "You have? How many?"

"Oh, I don't know. Several. We were in the Death Zone back on Gallifrey." He frowned. "I saw three. One was trapped. He is the fifth incarnation of himself."

Jack counted, and was stunned. "You mean…have you seen the original Doctor? The first one?" Sounded so damned strange, but Turlough understood him.

"Yes. Old, annoying chap. I much prefer this one, though he has his days."

"The original Doctor. Now I'm the one who's jealous."

Turlough smirked. "I think he's getting younger as he ages."

"So…one day he'll be running the TARDIS in diapers?"

Turlough nearly laughed, then grew serious once more. "Why ask?"

Jack settled himself. "I've traveled with a future incarnation. Two, actually. Not sure about the 'getting younger' part."

"You're from the future? His future?"

"He sent me here to rescue…himself."

"Great job you've done so far," Turlough scoffed.

"Shut up!"

The men sat quietly for a moment.

"So, what he's like in the future?"

Jack blew out his breath. "Impulsive."

"No change there, I see."

"Ornery."

"Yes."

"Sad."

Turlough looked up. "Sad? Why?"

Jack cursed underneath his breath. "I guess - things have happened. I shouldn't have said anything. Let's move on."

"What things have happened?" Turlough pressed.

Jack had turned back onto his hands and knees. "Really, I can't. If I tell you, you might let it slip to him."

"You mean something's happened to him. Something bad." Turlough sounded as though he couldn't quite believe it, but there was no mistaking the concern in his voice.

"Well, people aren't generally sad about good things happening," Jack muttered as he started crawling once more.

Turlough was on his heels. "Why did you think he would abandon us? Has that happened to you?"

Jack gritted his teeth. "Yes."

He felt a hand grab his ankle, and stopped to look over his shoulder. Turlough's expression was both angry, and sad. "This Doctor would never do that. He never leaves anyone behind unless it is of their own free will. And he hates it, every single time." He shook his head. "I don't think I care to meet your Doctor."

"Difficult circumstances," Jack mumbled. "It's sorted out now."

"Apparently not, if you're still worried about it. You think he abandoned you here, don't you? Your Doctor."

Jack didn't appreciate the accusation, nor how close to home it had hit. "He said your Doctor was my ticket home."

Turlough released him. "I see. It seems I have nothing to be jealous of."

Jack raged inside, ready to defend his Doctor to the teeth. Yet he knew the linger doubt still haunted him. He's always been honest with himself. But that was no reason to let Turlough know how much the conversation had affected him. "Looks like there's a way out up ahead."

"Hold on." Again Turlough pushed past, and peered through the grating. Both men were quiet, and heard no marching. At Jack's nod, Turlough put his shoulder to the grate, catching it as it swung open. He turned and lowered his feet, then disappeared with a shriek.

"Turlough?" Jack stuck his head through the opening, only to meet the business end of a blaster.


	6. Chapter 6

"What makes you think I'll help you with anything?" the Doctor asked icily. He didn't like the smug expression on the Master's face, as though he'd already won.

"Because I have insurance of the best sort. Your weakness, Doctor. One day you'll learn that. There is a reason I travel alone." The Master smiled, and signaled with his free hand. A door opened and two angry men were manhandled into the room. Turlough. Jack.

"Doctor!" Jack exclaimed, and the Doctor didn't miss the quick relief on his face, nor on Turlough's. It vanished into anger, and his captor, sensing it, pulled his arms more tightly behind him. "There you are," he gritted out, tugging.

The Doctor glared at the Master. "Is this supposed to convince me to help?"

"Do you wish to see your friends die slow, agonizing deaths before you?"

"You're above that."

The Master pushed the gun forward into his sternum, causing the Doctor to grunt involuntarily. He met the gaze eye to eye. "Try me," the Master threatened in a low voice.

He was stuck. He knew it. Clenching his jaw, he asked, "What is it exactly, that you want from me?" He kept his voice soft, not involving his friends.

But the Master had no problem in letting his plans be known. He stepped back, smiling, signaling for two soldiers to take the Doctor, holding him by the arms as the others held his friends. His shoulder protested, and he winced. The Master was pacing, which meant one of his infamous speeches was forthcoming. Great. "We're much alike, you and me," the Master said. "You remember back when we were boys, Doctor? How we hated our lessons, our teachers! Together we said we would rule Gallifrey."

"Childish fancy," the Doctor scoffed, but his internal alarms were going off.

"Was it?" The Master gestured, turning a slow circle in the center of the room, his arm outstretched. "We were smarter than the lot of them. We even took our names from our first visit to earth, after we left. Do you remember that? We were amused by the titles of distinction in their puny education system. So many to choose from! And being modest, you chose yours."

"And not being so modest…"

"I chose mine. Yes. And they've remained, and become legend throughout the universe. You and I. Together. We can do so much, Doctor. We're renegades. And we are so much alike."

"Not entirely."

The Master fisted his hand into the Doctor's jumper. "We are! We both left. Neither of us could stand the system, or what they were doing to our world. Time laws? Limits on regeneration? Non-interference when all they did was poke their heads into other's affairs when it suited them. They took control of the vortex. That is the ONLY reason they have power."

"It is the only reason WE have power. Don't you forget it."

The Master tightened his fist, his hand shaking in excitement. "Think of it! The portals! Time tunnels, Doctor! Soldiers! Not only can I go to any world, I can go to any world in any time. I can take each one at its most vulnerable point and. . ." He met the Doctor's stoic gaze, and let his arms fall to his side. "I see. You're unconvinced."

The Doctor had to admit to himself that he was a bit intrigued by this incarnation of his oldest, and former, friend. He had gone from best mate to opposition to power hungry. And yet he was still the same boy from school. The younger brother. The troublemaker. The one you always had to watch out for. "I've no desire to rule anything. You know I was offered the Chancellorship."

"Yes, you blind fool! Why in Gallifrey didn't you take it?"

"I've just told you. I've no desire to rule anything."

The Master shook his head sadly. "You always did wear the white suit, didn't you? You sadden me."

"I apologize." The Doctor punctuated his remark by raising his eyebrows.

"Never mind. You are still of use to me, even if you refuse to agree to it." He sighed theatrically. "You see, it would be such a hassle to try and take all those worlds out there, one by one, boring and boring! Why waste all that time and energy when I can take one world only, and have the fabric of the universe crumble at my feet?" The Master narrowed his eyes, waiting.

And the Doctor bit. He had to. This was insane. "You mean to take Gallifrey," he said in complete disbelief.

"I do, Doctor. In its entirety."

"How? Even with the soldiers and time tunnels you're no match for their power!"

The Master pretended to consider the question, his gloved fingers rubbing together in a raised hand, as though manipulating an idea. "That is a problem isn't it? How to subdue the great and powerful Time Lords!" He slowed the motion, and pointed at the Doctor. "I can do it if I have a Time Lord. Expendable, of course. I can if I have tunnels which can be guided through the power of manipulation by one who can tap into the Eye of Harmony, the power at the core of our being, at the core of time travel itself."

And there is was. The Doctor remembered when his friend had looked into the Eye when they were in school. He'd had nightmares, and the Doctor would sit beside him on his bunk, patting his arm and speaking in hushed tones as the Master writhed from his internal visions. They plagued him, always, and were slowly driving him mad. It was this fate the Doctor wished to save him from, but he didn't know how. "You can't. You can't do this. What you're asking isn't possible!"

"It isn't possible for me, because I plan to live to see the outcome. However, a Time Lord such as yourself, who had stretched the very boundaries of time and been able to use his power in unimaginable ways. . ."

"Oh, you give me far too much credit," The Doctor gritted.

"Perhaps. But the fact remains that I need someone to tap into this power, and you are that person. And once I have that power, Gallifrey will cease to exist. I will be the ultimate. The Alpha and the Omega, Doctor! Envision it!"

"What will you do with the energy once you have it?"

The Master looked surprised. "You're not going to just channel the energy. You're going to hold it for me. You are the vessel."

"NO! It'll kill him!" Jack yelled out, startling the Doctor. He'd honestly forgotten his friends were there.

"No," the Master calmly corrected, turning to face Jack. "But - it will drive him mad."

The Doctor shook his head vehemently. "You know what the Eye did to you. Why? Why do this?"

The Master walked right up to the Doctor and stood nose to nose. "We've shared so much, my former friend," he responded slowly. "Can I not share my pain as well? Maybe then you'll understand me."

"I won't allow it!" The Doctor shouted at him, trying to pull away from the men holding him. "Think what you're doing! You're messing with something far too powerful! Even when that power was harnessed and put into the core of Gallifrey it was massive."

"And it has been fed, so to speak, by the Time Lords." The Master rolled his eyes. "A growing entity unto itself. I've heard the stories, Doctor." He waved his hand, and a panel opened revealing a smaller room to the side.

The room was filled with machines and lights. In the center sat a long metal table with straps. The Master walked to it and ran his gloved finger over the edge. "I hope you enjoy your tomb, Doctor. This is where you will spend the remainder of your days." He raised his hand.

The Doctor felt himself being simultaneously pulled and shoved towards the table. He panicked as a thick arm held him in a choke hold while the front of his jumper was torn open.

"Wait!" he heard Turlough cry out as he was bodily forced onto the flat surface. "Kill us! If you need a sacrifice take us!"

"Did you not hear a word I said," The Master replied in a bored tone, and leaned over the Doctor. "And you choose them to travel with you?" he muttered.

"You said we were insurance!" Turlough yelled.

"I could kill you and still put the Doctor to good use, so I suggest you shut up."

It was true. The Doctor couldn't see a way out of his situation, and what was worse, he obviously wanted Turlough and Jack to bear witness to his destruction. He fought, but was held down. A heavy strap was tightened around his neck, his chest, his abdomen, upper and lower legs, his arms. Even when the men backed away he tried to wriggle free of his bonds. It alarmed him that he was tied down to such a degree. This wasn't for fear of his escape. This was for his own protection, so that he wouldn't harm himself during the process, or try to kill himself to prevent it. Inwardly he scoffed at the fact that the Master would be concerned for his well-being as he slowly destroyed him.

"Time interference," The Master was saying loudly over the continual shouts of protest from Jack and Turlough. "Think back, Doctor! Think all the way back, back to the First Days." He placed the probes onto the Doctor's head. "Remember the stories we were told. They weren't fables, Doctor. They were truths."

"I won't help you," the Doctor said. "I'd rather die."

"And you will wish you could," the Master said, almost sadly. "But we both know the Eye won't let that happen. This is the life energy, Doctor. You can not die." Probes were placed on his bare chest. The Master raised a hand held control and pressed a button. The probes instantly clamped down, digging into this skin and his scalp.

The Doctor gasped loudly but refused to cry out. "Don't do this," he practically begged. "You have no idea what you are about to unleash!"

"I assure you, I do."

"The universe needs someone to maintain the balance!"

"And I am not that person?"

The Doctor's eyebrows raised comically just before the power surge hit.

He screamed.

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Jack head-butted the soldier holding him from behind, forgetting the soldier had his helmet on.

He gasped in pain and would have crashed to his knees had be not been held so tightly. Beside him, Turlough was straining, his pained face fixed on the Doctor's. Jack's eyes darted back to the table where his friend lay in agony, bathed in a blue field, the probes sparking against grey-ish skin.

"Stop this!" he yelled out, but the Master's eyes were on the Doctor. He walked around the body as it jerked and twitched, as the Doctor gasped and tried to hold back another scream. It was torn from him in an anguished yell, and he spoke, but in a language Jack couldn't understand. It struck him that it must be Gallifreyan, a tongue he'd never heard before. The Master leaned over him and responded in kind. His words weren't meant to be reassuring, Jack was certain of it. The Master crossed to a machine and turned a dial, and the Doctor gave the loudest scream he'd ever heard from any man. Tears fell down his cheeks as he squeezed his eyes shut.

And in his mind, he prayed.

He didn't believe in any god-like being. Never had, never saw any reason to. But his prayer wasn't geared toward a god-like being. It was geared toward the next best thing.

Frantically, in his own mind, he cried out for his own Doctor. As tears of anger and frustration ran down his face, he cried out for the Doctor to save himself.

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In his own mind, the Doctor was screaming for help.

He knew. Even through the pain, the torment, the agony of his very fiber of being trying to rip itself apart, he could feel the touch, and that touch was amplified by the Eye as its tendrils circled his body. He knew. And, more importantly, they knew.

Every mind unified, and joined.

There was a man in a black leather jacket, a tall man, who was holding his head in pain while yelling for him to hang on. Just hang on!

Another with blond curly hair, doubled over as…wait was it Peri? Was Peri with him? That wasn't right. She was scared…Peri, don't be scared! Brave heart! Tegan! Where was Tegan?

And another man, this one with a clown-like scowl on his face, babbling. . .

Another with curly but longer hair, more distinguished, one hand to his head while manipulating controls on an unfamiliar TARDIS, knowing something was wrong but unable to fix it. . .

And a young man in a suit, his hair spiky and awry, his eyes wide, not as effected as the others but crashing quickly, yelling at the top of his lungs for him to fight, that he was coming, just fight. . .

A blond haired man moaned about drums, then morphed into a debonair gentlemen with vivid eyes. . .

The council met, and turned into ash. . .

And suddenly his lifetimes flashed backwards, forwards, sideways, as did his friends, the Master, Rassilon, all Time Lords. . . JamieRomanaZoeNyssaAdricLeel aSarahJane…the pain of the Daleks! What are weeping angels? Yana. . .

The TARDIS has a soul?

The Yeti. Snowmen. Davros. Such pain. Such evil.

And timelines merged, converged. The Doctor was evil. The Doctor had looked into the Eye.

No!

The Earth was blistered, covered with lava, and he was a screaming babe. Gallifrey was molten. The Time Lords held him over a lava pit before melting, and he was falling.

Forwards and backwards and sideways. Cause and causality. Reaction. Repercussions. Results. Regrets. How many times had he changed the timeline? How many times had he refused? Life had a way.

The Doctor's eyes were wide open, unseeing, yet seeing everything. His mind processed things the only way it knew how, and he could feel it stretching out of its boundary.

Senses. Finite. Light ribbons parading through space. Converging. Billions of faces hitting him at once, not even billions, but trillions of billions of billions, each with a name and story, the only markers of time there was for a universe who ceased to care. Without these trillions of billions of billions of faces, there would be no use for time.

If they were wiped out, time itself would cease, for there would be no one to mark its passing.

He heard screams, and they were his own. He heard other screams, the Master? His friends? A whirring sound filled the air, a familiar sound, one that nearly brought tears to his eyes even as the pain increased, as a new voice cried out his name, as the pain became unbearable and multiple hands were on his body, and as he looked into large, panicked brown eyes…

…everything shattered.

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Jack groaned miserably. He gasped aloud, his eyes flying open, and felt hands bracing his arms. Did it happen again? Did he die? It didn't feel right. He rolled and vomited, hearing a curse and someone bracing him again, one hand on his back. He felt dizzy, shredded. Horrible. A voice soothed him, but it sounded as wrecked as he felt. He retched over and over until a cool cloth was pressed to his lips. The sensation eased him, and grounded him.

Jack took the cloth and pushed into a seated position, leaning back, against what, he wasn't sure. He was on a grated floor. The light was dim, but familiar, as was the drawn face which slowly came to focus in front of him. "D-Doc? You came back."

"Of course I did! Take it easy." The Doctor, his Doctor, placed a hand to the side of his head. "We've been through a nasty ride."

But Jack could focus on only one thing, and that was the man kneeling before him. He grabbed his friend's arms. "You came back!"

"Jack, are you quite all right?" His Doctor looked worried, and pushed Jack's hair back from his foreheard, looking for an injury.

He wanted to laugh in delight at the motion, but his stomach rebelled. He swallowed hard, trying to focus against a spinning room. The Doctor caught his arms and held him upright. "What happened?"

"Close call. Near disaster." The concerned eyes studied him, unblinking.

Jack clutched at his chest, his breathing hitched and erratic. "Did I die?"

"No." The Doctor shook his head.

"Then why do I feel like I've been shredded?"

"Because you were."

"What?"

"I had to get us out of the space-time bubble. It was collapsing in on itself."

Jack frowned. "We're - outside time and space?"

The Doctor looked infinitely sad. "It was the only place I could go." He swallowed, and his face crumpled in pain. He breathed deeply, regaining his composure.

"Doctor?" Jack grabbed his arm, then cupped his hand behind the Doctor's neck. "What's wrong with you? Where are the others?"

"They're here. Turlough's with me. . .the other me."

Oh no. Jack's heart was already pounding. Now it threatened to leap from his chest. "Is he. . .I mean are you. . ."

"I don't know." His Doctor looked at him sadly. "We're all being ripped apart. All of my incarnations." He paused, and Jack realized the Doctor seemed to have trouble breathing. "I can feel it," he continued softly, "everyone loosing their being. All of my time lines being ripped away from me."

Jack tightening his grip on the back of the Doctor's neck. "What can I do? Tell me what to do!"

"I don't know." The Doctor shook his head sadly. "Really, I don't. I tried to get a signal out, tried to get my other selves to come here. I don't know if they were able to."

"If something happens to an earlier version of yourself. . ."

He shrugged. "Timelines are funny things. But now they're crossing and converging in such ways that they are becoming indistinguishable. They're melding into one, canceling each other out." He smiled ruefully. "I found myself wondering if this is the end, the real end, if this is how I'm supposed to go out. Only. . ."

"Only what?"

"In all this passing - I caught a glimpse of my future self." The Doctor looked startled. "Right before coming here. And I was okay. I wasn't traumatized, I wasn't in pain, I was just - watching. So I must be okay, right?" He grimaced and moaned loudly, doubling over, blowing his breath through clenched teeth.

Jack pushed to his knees and lowered the Doctor to the grated floor. "There has to be something I can do. Tell me!"

The Doctor gripped his arm. "I don't know. Mmm, god. . .I wish I did!" He closed his eyes tightly and fought for control.

Jack couldn't remember a time when he felt so helpless. It wasn't right. The Doctor shouldn't be suffering, dying! And he found himself wondering what would happen to him, if there was no time, if he couldn't die... "Doctor. I'm going to check on the other one, where is he?"

The Doctor released him. "Your old room."

"I'll be right back. Don't, just - I'll be right back!"

The Doctor merely nodded.

Jack rushed out of the large control room and down the corridor. Moments later he came upon a room he thought he'd never see again.

The light was even more dim inside. Turlough was sitting beside the Doctor's bed looking the worse for wear, but alive. "You okay?" Jack asked quickly, waving down the surprise on Turlough's face. "How is he?"

"I don't know. Sleeping." Turlough's voice was rough. "He twitches like he's in pain, but he won't make a sound or open his eyes. I don't know what to do."

"You're doing all you can, right now." Jack wiped his hand over his face. "What happened at the capitol? Were you conscious?"

Turlough nodded toward the door. "That man came. The TARDIS just materialized right in the center of the room. He came out and the Master screamed, I've never heard anyone scream like that. I don't know what was done to him. I didn't see, I'd gone straight to the Doctor and started to free him. A moment later you were with me, and we carried him into the TARDIS. We all three fell to the floor, and that's all I know."

"He heard me." Jack marveled. "He came." He found himself pacing, his nervous energy more than he could handle.

Turlough looked sad. "You have your answer, then, haven't you? He won't leave you." He slumped to rest his elbows on the mattress, and lowered his head.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hours passed. Turlough kept watch over his Doctor, while Jack kept watch over his, in the control room. The Doctor had given up talking, instead spending his energy on solving the dilemma in front of him, mumbling at the controls as he punched buttons, read data, researched. Jack finally sank down onto a small cot in the corner of the room and watched as his own exhaustion took hold. It seemed he had just closed his eyes when he heard a voice. "Jack. Jack, wake up."

Jack sat up quickly, pressing his hands to his head then giving it a shake. He realized he must've slept, somehow. He felt more himself. The Doctor was leaning over him, pressing a glass of water into his hand. "Drink. How are you feeling?"

"Better." Jack accepted the drink gratefully. "How about you?"

"Stable. For now."

"Any change?"

A slight hesitation. "Not really."

Jack nodded and gulped down the cool liquid.

The Doctor rose and returned to the still column, his hands tucked deep into his coat pockets. He looked ready to disappear into the folds of fabric. Jack set his glass on the floor and crossed the room to join him. "You seem better. Marginally."

The Doctor jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

"What?" Jack didn't know what he was supposed to be looking at.

The Doctor looked back at the black viewing screen and swore lightly, then switched it on. In the darkness Jack could just make out a few shadowy, familiar shapes. He walked toward the screen and braced himself against the handrail. "My god."

"Four of me have made it here." The Doctor joined him, and together they observed the static, small images of the TARDIS on the screen.

"It's surreal, seeing more of those things. I mean, as surreal as any of this can get. Can you contact them?"

"I haven't tried. It is enough to know we are here. We can sense it."

"I see. That's why you're stronger."

The Doctor nodded. "It's an advantage I have over the Master. I've never known his various incarnations to join together for anything." Doctor huffed and pushed from the rail.

"Strength in numbers." Jack smiled.

"The Master tried to lure us all from our timelines, to bind us into one, and in doing so not only amplify the power of the Eye, but contain it."

"But it's the center of a black hole. It is already contained."

The Doctor smiled wryly. "Have you ever tried to lasso a black hole, Jack? With our timelines combined, we were maybe just a fraction as powerful as the Eye. He could suck the power directly from it, then divide it up amongst us, and then the various time streams projecting from the planet."

"So he could manage the power in bits and pieces."

"Only he didn't understand the transfer." The Doctor smacked his palm against the side of his head in disgust. "I don't know what he was thinking! Well, he wasn't thinking, was he? He was just making foolish assumptions based on childhood myths." The Doctor was staring at a small screen. He knocked his knuckle against the console thoughtfully.

"But it almost worked," Jack pressed.

"Oh, yes. But not in his favor."

"What's happened?"

The Doctor sighed. "It's fragmented, Jack. Time itself has been shredded. It's barely holding together." He knowingly tapped the side of his head with his forefinger.

Jack stared. "You're trying to hold time together? All of you?"

"We're helping." The Doctor looked to Jack's old bedroom, where his former self lay fighting for his sanity.

Jack followed his gaze. "You said he had to be the one. Why?"

The Doctor looked sad. "Because he is the turning point in my timeline. He is pivotal."

"How?"

The Doctor just shook his head, smiling through his pain. "I wish I could tell you."

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Tiny fragments of his past. His future.

The Brigadier was dead, yet standing beside him.

Liz Shaw, pleading.

Bessie, stuck on the side of the road, suddenly turning into a rocket heading for Utopia.

A boat on the water, his pole stuck in the mud.

No, Romana, you can't use that body. Change it.

Master? Oh, the irony of being called Master.

What day is it? What time?

Walking on the streets of London. Ruel. In the forest of Manor. One the shore of the silver lakes of Parthe. In a star cluster.

Liz was serving tea to Ace. Who was Ace?

A beautiful blonde, trapped forever. I love you, Doctor.

I don't feel love.

Who am I?

A man passed by him. Excuse me, do you have the time?

Worms. Crawling in the ground, over him, over his carcass. Cutting through stardust, carving patterns in the cosmos like trails in the soil.

A child's chant, who is afraid of the big bad wolf?

A being of silver, changing his shape. A woman of silver, holding an arrow. An army of silver, defeated by gold.

The sounds of a recorder.

A small lady, brilliant and elfish.

Faster and faster these fragments spun before him, a kaleidoscope of images and thoughts, feelings, associations. Why was Susan with Turlough? Oh, Borussa. But that had been dealt with. Only, Susan was young and running, and Peri was screaming.

He was old, and wearing a multicolored coat. That wasn't how it was. Fix it. Half of him old, half young, half-mad, fresh from an incarnation, and who are you? The Rani!

He couldn't tell anymore. The TARDIS was a pillar. The zero room smelled of soured milk.

Gallifrey had an airport, filled with purple airline hostesses.

There was a glass bubble over L.A.

The Cybermen were coming, yelling, "Exterminate!" in odd metallic voices.

Fezzes are cool.

The jacket was ripped. He'd unraveled the scarf when he became lost in the TARDIS. And Adric was there

Adric!

The piece floated before him. Adric, with his badge for mathematical excellence.

The Doctor startled Turlough by reaching out into thin air, and plucking at nothing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was on Deva Loka. The Doctor spun quickly, not knowing how he got there. Why Deva Loka?

"Don't you remember, Doctor?"

Adric's disembodied voice made the chimes whisper. The Doctor turned again, round and round. "Where are you?"

A whisper in the chimes, idiot, a voice replied, both young and old.

"Adric, I need your help. Space-time has been disrupted. I need your equations to put things back in order. I can't think."

Wheel turns…

"The soldiers, they were mass produced. He means to wipe out worlds with them, starting with Gallifrey."

"Oh come now, Doctor," Adric scoffed. "The universe is already frayed! There is nothing to wipe out!"

"No, no, that's not true. That's not true because I'm here," one hand was raised beside his head, aiding him in concentration, and he jabbed at the ground with his finger, "I'm here, on Deva Loka, right now. I can feel it. I can feel the ground beneath my feet. How did I get here?"

"You're here in your mind, Doctor."

"You're dead." The Doctor raised sorrowful blue eyes skyward. "It's my fault you died."

"It isn't Doctor! When will you realize that?"

"If I hadn't pressured you…I never really listened." He slammed his palm to his forehead. "I never listen! Why do I not listen! You didn't have to try and prove yourself to me!"

"You've learned to listen."

"Have I?"

"You'll see. In time."

"Adric, there is no time. Everything is unraveling. I'm unraveling."

"There is a fixed point."

"Where?"

"Jack Harkness."

"Who? Oh. The man who can not die." The Doctor turned in wonder. "How?"

"He is the fixed point."

"The pin holding these ribbons of time together."

"You just have to thread them back," Adric said with a shrug in his voice.

"But how?"

Wheel turns, civilizations rise, and fall…

"Come on, think, Doctor! Mend the ribbons!"

"I can't. . ."

"Bridge the gap!"

"Stop! Just stop, let me think!" The Doctor doubled over, clutching his head. "Deva Loka. The Kinda. The Box. But the box isn't here, and how would that help me?"

"It's more basic than that, Doctor." Another voice. Nyssa? It couldn't be. She was on Logopolis. No, that wasn't right, she'd left him…the Doctor looked up from his hands, feeling more lost than before.

"I don't understand," he practically wailed. Deva Loka was shifting around him as his focus wavered.

"Pull it together, Doctor!" Tegan yelled.

"I can't. . ."

He was the Doctor all the time.

They should give you a badge for Mathematical Excellence.

I forgot. Bioelectronics is your strong point.

Double Helix. The Kinda are wearing the double helix.

Mend the ribbons.

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The Doctor sat bolt upright in his bed, nearly spilling Turlough from his chair. "Doctor! Are you okay - what's happened?" But the Doctor pushed past Turlough and padded in bare feet around the room, then took off into the corridor.


	7. Chapter 7

You may have noticed, I don't really like calling the Doctor by numbers. It sounds impersonal, even though we know why we do it. It's hard to distinguish them otherwise, but I tried my best. I hope it isn't too confusing. - Kam ;)

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The commotion was heard before the two men reached the console room. Jack turned as the Doctor bolted in, followed by Turlough, and pulled up short. "Yes. Well." He made to close his jacket together in characteristic fashion only to find he wasn't wearing one. He held out his arms, taking in the shirt which was a touch too short in the sleeves.

"Mind you, I'm not ashamed of my body, nor yours as such, but I figured….you know." Jack's Doctor gestured at the ill-fitting shirt and pants. "Your jumper was ruined."

The blond haired man nodded. "Of course. Thank you." He looked up, and his gaze was more clear and intelligent than Jack had ever seen it. He realized he was looking at the Doctor as he was supposed to be. Turlough's Doctor. No wonder he was so taken, and so protective of him. This Doctor quickly examined the man standing beside the console. "I take it you're me," he said, and there was a tone of respect in his voice that Jack wasn't expecting.

Jack's Doctor tucked his hands into his pockets and leaned forward. "In the flesh."

"So I see." Turlough was at his Doctor's shoulder, staring. The Doctor's eyebrows were raised as he took in the new inner working of the TARDIS. "You've maximized the chameleon circuit's output, I see."

"I've made a few modifications."

"Probably made her more temperamental."

The Doctor scratched behind his ear. "Well, there is that, yeah."

The other Doctor nodded, then collapsed.

Turlough caught him, preventing him from braining himself on the grated floor. Jack rushed to his side while noting that his Doctor looked concerned, but didn't move from his spot. "Okay, then?" he asked from his station.

The blond man looked confused, one hand waving about, then he steadied himself. "Work to be done. Are the others here?"

"Some are, yeah. You have a plan?"

"Link them. Everyone needs to hear this."

"Right." Jack's Doctor started twisting knobs and flipping switches, jumping from panel to panel before settling himself in front of the view screen. His former incarnation rose shakily and propped himself against the console.

The screen divided itself into five squares, and five very distinct faces appeared. Jack was pleased to see the previous incarnation, the one he'd originally met, though it was a bit strange. He didn't appear to recognize Jack. It hadn't happened yet, then, not in that timeline. One face was older with moppish hair like one of the Three Stooges. One was very old, with white hair combed back from his head. One had a floppy hat. And the last one, very young.

His Doctor nudged him. "That one there. That's my future self that I saw!"

Jack shook his head, coming to terms with these different faces of the same man on the screen.

"We are patched in to two others of us," the white-haired man said. "They are struggling to hold on."

"We don't have much time," Turlough's Doctor said. "Are their TARDISes functional?"

"I believe so, yes." The white-haired man had a craggy voice, with very deliberate speech. Jack wondered if this was the original Doctor, and marveled.

"What do you propose?" the man with the floppy hat asked, his own voice more theatrical, as though addressing an audience.

Jack's Doctor turned to the blond man, and waited.

The Doctor clutched the console, trying to collect the vestiges of his dreams. "We must connect the TARDISes together…at the heart. We must join the cores."

Jack watched as his former Doctor blinked once, then tugged at his leather jacket. The other men seemed, not quite dumfounded, but more contemplative, if not a little surprised. "It's never been done," hat-man said.

"Of course it's never been done!" the old man snapped.

"That doesn't mean it isn't possible," Moe said.

"Oh, shut up and let the man speak!" the youngest version snapped.

The Doctor pushed from the console and stood beside his counterpart. They were of a height, and Jack could almost sense an odd similarity between the two men, something he couldn't gather in the other faces. "You need to open up the heart of the TARDIS," the Doctor said. "We need to set up an energy stream, and join them through…a fixed point." He swallowed. "This focal will, in the meantime, draw the various time streams together for realignment."

"And how do we realign these streams?" leather jacket asked.

The blond was rubbing his fingers together nervously. "Well, we use advanced mathematical computations - from a trusted Alzarian."

"Adric?" Hat asked. "Adric is dead!"

"Yes, well…that depends on the time stream," the Doctor admitted. "You see, I'll be traveling through them."

"In order to do that boy, you'll have to travel through multiple streams at one time!" the old man exclaimed.

"Yes, I am aware," the blond Doctor responded patiently.

"It's risky," Hat said.

"Since when have we been afraid of a little risk?" Moe asked.

"Shush," leather jacket said, and fixed the Doctor with a stare. "Can you do this?

Jack's Doctor answered the question before the blond man could. "He can, and he will, and we will help him. Understood?" His pointed glare took in every man on the screen. "What of the others? Do they agree?"

The youngest Doctor on the screen, with hair even floppier than Jack's Doctor, nodded. "They agree. But hurry. Destabilization is setting in and if we loose them this is a moot point."

"Right." Jack's Doctor turned and looked at the blond man. "You said a fixed point. What is the fixed point?"

The other Doctor was looking worn. His blue gaze met brown eyes. "You know," he said softly. "And you'll have to be the one to tell him."

Jack watched as his Doctor straightened, holding the other man's eyes for several moments before the wizened expression met his own.

"It's me," Jack said. "I'm the fixed point, because I can't die."

"What?" Turlough asked, making Jack startle. He'd forgotten the man was there.

"Long story," he said over his shoulder, and regarded the two Doctors, his own and the one he'd come to admire. "There's no asking. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Are you sure about this?" his Doctor asked.

"Tell me," Jack insisted.

His Doctor nodded. "Okay."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx

The TARDIS door opened to complete chaos.

Jack was hardly able to recognize the room. He winced, seeing prisms of…time…floating around in the air. He ducked as soldiers marched past, only for them to flip and reveal flowered fields and a lover's kiss, presumably a memory from one of the soldiers. That soldier's timeline was spiraling above him, around him, and through him as it met his own timeline, as he watched the soldiers storm past. A tug on his arm grabbed his attention and he forced his way through to the small side room where the table lay, half buried in rubble. His Doctor quickly shoved the bits of wall away, clearing a space.

"We need to connect me - him - back to this equipment. He needs to be as he was before. And you," the Doctor spun and grabbed his shoulders, "you are his anchor. You have to go in with him. You're the fixed point that he will repeatedly return to, do you understand?"

"So I just, what? Stand here?"

"No. You'll be fighting to maintain your own sanity."

Oh. That was nice.

"These machines are functional, barely," the blond Doctor said. "We should have just enough power if we act quickly." He swept his hand over the table and hopped on, then lay back, crossing his hands over his chest. "Now."

His Doctor placed the probes on his head then partially unbuttoned his shirt, placing the remaining probes upon his chest. He found the box on the floor and shook it, then pressed the button.

The probes latched, and the Doctor winced.

"You're up," Jack's Doctor said.

Jack nodded and sat on the floor beside the table. One probe remained. The Doctor regarded Jack for a moment, then placed it over his heart, where it immediately latched. Jack gasped loudly, unprepared for the electrical shock he felt. "All right?" the Doctor asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jack answered. "Hurry."

"I'm turning on the machine."

"How will we know if it worked?"

His Doctor smiled a sad smile. "You'll know." He vanished around the corner. Jack focused on the light of the police box.

And all hell broke loose.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The entire universe, everything in existence, was stabbing him through the heart. He wasn't sure he cared enough about the Doctor or the cosmos to endure this pain. He gritted his teeth, determined not to cry out, but it was wrenched from him in a pained wail. "Doctor!"

There was no answer.

He sobbed, cried out again, sobbed more. There was no way to reach out for anything, he was just existing, stationary, pinned underneath the most enormous weight imaginable. "DOCTOR! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

He couldn't do this. He couldn't endure this. And through his tears he saw a man walking toward him, lugging a silver rope over his shoulder. He squealed in panic as the Doctor brandished a large hammer and nailed the rope to his body. The weight doubled, if it were at all possible. "DOCTOR, PLEASE!"

"You can not die," the Doctor said calmly.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?"

"You are the anchor."

"YOU'RE KILLING ME!"

"You can not die," the Doctor said, sadly, and walked off with his shoulders slumped. He returned moments later with another silver rope.

"No, no no no no, please don't," Jack begged, and screamed as this rope was also nailed to his form. "STOP!"

"You can not die. . ."

Jack found it within him to raise his head, spittle spraying everywhere as he hissed, "You want to BET?" But the Doctor disappeared, then re-appeared with another rope.

"Oh, god, no. . ." Jack sobbed, and screeched at the top of his lungs as it was nailed to him. Four more were brought to him, nailed to him, until he couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, was smothered underneath a weight that just continued to grow, continued to crush every bone in this body, liquefying his internal organs.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

The Doctor was spinning on the head of a pin. He stopped, and sat, his chin on his hand, his legs crossed at the knees, and thought.

Around him fragments of space-time tilted and whirled like snowflakes. On occasion he caught a glimpse of something vaguely familiar, but for the most part he was looking at the unknown. It was a new sensation for him. He sat there, outside time, outside space, perfectly at peace, watching the prisms fall as they would. He cocked his head, seeing two collide, time references combining to form a new history, one which spiraled off into the distance only to collide with another. He realized these prisms were in different lines, like Christmas lights on a strand. And the strands were loose, whipping about wildly, smashing together. Knocking the lights together into shards. He frowned as he looked down and saw a man far below, a man sobbing and crying out, as another man tried to snatch the ends of the time streams. He fastened one to the crying man, then reached for another one. The man collecting the streams looked disturbingly like himself, or as he imagined himself to look. He cocked his head and wondered which time frame this one belonged to. Then he settled himself down, to continue to watch the prisms before him.

"…..doctor," Jack managed to choke into a whisper.

The Doctor knelt down, and smiled. "You're doing just fine."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

When he next opened his eyes, he was floating.

Strings radiated from his body in all directions. The Doctor was still luring them in, but he no longer felt them. He watched this man working so hard, so hard! Sweat beading on his forehead, his body lilting in exhaustion. He paused for only a moment, noticing there were millions, no, billions of billions more to go.

Doctor. It's going to take too long. We don't have time for this!

It was a stupid thought. Of course they had time. This was time. And it was funny how his brain still registered time, even though he was looking at it.

It is odd, isn't it? Jack looked up and saw the Doctor staring down at him from a great height, yet he could see his features clearly. His mouth didn't move as he spoke. He looked thoughtful, watching his other self work. Words surfaced in his mind. _What we need, is a higher vantage point._

_What are you doing? Why aren't you helping him?_

_But I am._

Jack watched as the Doctor tugged at another string, draped it over his shoulder, and pulled it back, pinning it to Jack. The stationary point. The man who couldn't die, and therefore was the single fixed point in known time.

_What does this mean?_

_It means your burden has become much, much larger than you can possibly imagine. You are no longer a time agent. For now, you are time itself._

_That's impossible! I can't be time! Time isn't a thing!_

The Doctor above him sat down and considered this, slowly uncrossing his legs, then crossing them back in the opposite way. In the distance, the Doctor was going for another string.

He'd lost count.

The universe was nothing but lines streaming from his inert body. Vivid, living lines, all painstakingly connected by the Doctor, one at a time. Before, Jack had thought he registered time in the usual fashion. It turned out he was wrong. He had no clue how long the Doctor had been working, how long he'd been outside the continuum.

Then the Doctor stopped, and looked around him. Jack raised his head from his prone position. "What? What is it?"

His eyebrows rose in amazement. "It's done."

Jack barked out a laugh. He looked at the seemingly infinite number of time strings radiating from his body. "Now what?"

The Doctor walked to him, flicking one of the time strings, watching it vibrate as the events shifted within. "Now comes the hard part. We've harnessed these strings. You're holding them. But they must be weaved back together to form the time grid."

"There's a time grid?"

"In a manner of speaking."

A memory surfaced. The two of them, looking for the capitol. "You said before that you hate grids."

The Doctor was scratching his head. "This is when I need Adric. I have get him."

"Where?"

"Oh, he's in one of these." The Doctor sighed and gestured.

"This isn't going to go quickly, is it?"

The Doctor looked up to his carbon copy, perched high above. His other self nodded, and pointed to one of the strings.

Jack didn't like the way the Doctor's face suddenly paled. "No, it's okay," the Doctor said. "I know exactly where to find him."


	8. Chapter 8

He saw the Cyberman blow the console, and saw the morbid realization cross his young friend's face. He watched Adric's actions, and knew precisely what his thoughts were. "Adric."

The boy spun, startled, then relieved. "Doctor! You're here! I-I can't stop the ship, I don't know what to do!"

Get out, he had to get Adric out of there, he had to…the Doctor gave his head a shake and reached out for him, took his arms. "Listen to me, I don't have much time. I need one more equation from you. One more impossible set of numbers."

"To stop the ship?"

His mouth tried to turn into a frown of despair, but he wouldn't let it. "You've saved the earth, Adric," he said, his voice shaky. "Your time jump saved the earth. This crash is meant to happen. Now I need for you to save the universe. Only you can do it, Adric."

His face was so young and innocent, even after everything he'd seen. His hair hung in his eyes, his cheeks were flushed. The Doctor realized this would be how he'd always remember him, just like this. "I don't understand," the boy said. "We should get back to the TARDIS!"

This hurt, it hurt so damn much. "I'm not here, Adric! Not in your time. Right now, I am on the TARDIS."

Adric pulled away. "I don't understand," he said once more.

The Doctor's face fell. "Oh, Adric. I'm sorry. I am - so sorry. I failed you."

The boy's eyes darkened. "I - I am going to die. Aren't I?"

The Doctor could only look at him.

"Get me off this ship!"

"I can't." His voice broke. "I wish I could make you understand," he glanced back at the screen, at the earth racing towards them, "but there's no time."

"And we're back at that again! Go on, Doctor! Tell me again about how there isn't any time!"

The Doctor steadied himself and took the boy by the arms once more. "There isn't any time, literally, where I'm from," he said quickly. "It has been shattered, fragmented by the Master. I need your brain, Adric. I need you to repair time itself, to put the time strings back into their proper places. They're shredding, crossing over each other. Time is no longer linear. Remember Castrovalva? This is infinitely worse. I can't. . ." he shook his head and tightened his grip. "You're the only one who can do this, Adric. You've already saved the earth. Now you can save the entire structure of space-time itself. Please, Adric!"

Adric looked stunned.

"Do this for me," the Doctor pleaded. "I'm wrong to ask you, I know it. But you're the only one in the entire universe who can save it." He looked deep into Adric's eyes. "The only one."

Even now, Adric didn't want to disappoint the Doctor. He gave a small nod.

The Doctor kneaded his arms in relief, then glanced over his shoulder at the scanner. He led Adric to a different console and quickly explained everything he knew about the situation as Adric turned into a machine, and started punching in numbers.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack felt a tug.

He looked down at the time strings streaming from his body. Yes, there was a movement. And another. And another! He suddenly felt stretched, and cried out.

The Doctor was there, having jumped from his perch. He started gathering the strings into his arms, lumping them together into one whole. Jack wanted to make a joke about him being in two places at one time, but agony ripped through him. He heard the Doctor yell for him to hold on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"That's it Adric, you're almost there!" The Doctor's head jerked from the screen back to the busy young man, and back to the screen again. "Keep going!"

"I'm trying, but it's difficult to concentrate with your constant railing!" Adric snapped back.

"I'm not railing!" the Doctor quickly protested, then physically used his hand to clamp his mouth shut. "Sorry, sorry," he muffled, his eyes now fixed on the orb which completely filled the screen.

Adric was no fool. He glanced up, and typed faster. "Doctor, there's something I need to say."

"Shhh. Concentrate."

"I learned a lot from you." He punched in another key, then straightened. "I'm glad I traveled with you. I'm glad you gave me a chance."

The Doctor felt tears sting his eyes. "I would take you with me if I could."

"No. You can't, and besides, this is how it is supposed to be. This is my purpose, right? Excelling in math, leaving E-space, meeting you. It led up to this moment." He tried to put on a brave smile.

The Doctor had died many times. He died once more, right then. But he forced himself to straighten as well. "I'm glad for the chance to say a proper goodbye." He hesitated, and took the young man's hand in a firm grip. "Adric, I'm very proud of you. It's been an honor."

The boy smiled bashfully through his tears. "The honor's mine, Doctor, you know that. Take care of Nyssa and Tegan for me. Tell them…I'll miss them both."

The Doctor swallowed hard, and nodded.

Adric turned and typed in the final set of numbers. "I've created a code. I hope this works."

The Doctor nodded, looking around him. "Things are already happening. Look, Adric! Look at what you've done!"

Adric looked up, his eyes widening at the shifting swirls and patterns of a suddenly visible string of time, reaching out, finding another, connecting on its own. The numbers were alive within the strands, and each strand was searching for the other.

"It's becoming whole again," the Doctor whispered to his tearful friend. "You did that, Adric. You did it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack couldn't endure the pain. He prayed for death.

The Doctor bundled the strings of time, and cried out.

A white flash erupted, and there was nothing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Doctor! Doctor, wake up! Come on!" the voice was growling, insistent, and irritating. It was Adric! No, it wasn't Adric, it was another male voice. A very annoying male voice.

The Doctor moaned and turned his head to the side, daring to open his eyes into a slit. The dark, unmoving form of Jack Harkness filled his vision. He tried to lift his head but felt a hand press him down as another voice said, "No, don't move. Not yet."

"Where am I?" the Doctor asked.

"You're on board my TARDIS," the familiar voice said. "The capitol was crumbling. We had to leave."

The Doctor's breathing sharpened as memories flooded him. "Did we do it?"

"Everything's fine."

The Doctor opened his eyes and found himself staring into the brown ones of his counterpart. He was surprised to see they were filled with tears, even though the smile was pleased. But of course, he would know what had happened. He would remember. The Doctor let his eyes drift closed as he asked, "Jack?"

"He'll be all right."

A nod.

"Thank you, Doctor."

Blue eyes opened once more. "For?"

His counterpart smiled, and gripped his hand. "Closure."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack gasped and opened his eyes.

He rolled, feeling the hard ground beneath him. His hand clawed into the dirt, digging underneath his nails as he fought for breath. He cursed loudly, wincing, clenching every muscle in his body. Dammit, he would never get used to this!

"Welcome back."

He squinted up toward the shadowy figure of the Doctor standing before his TARDIS, his hands tucked into the pockets of his brown coat. "What - what's. . ."

"It's done. Finished." His eyebrows raised. "We won."

Jack smiled, then laughed as he rolled flat onto his back and looked up at the familiar pattern of stars overhead. "We did it." He sighed in relief, then painfully pressed up to his elbows. "The soldiers?"

"The planet destroyed itself."

Jack frowned. "All those people."

"Nothing could be done." The Doctor had that look on his face, the one that Jack had come to realize meant there was much more to the story than he would ever know.

"What about Turlough? And…you?"

"Everyone is back where they should be." His mouth quirked, and he pulled out a piece of paper. "Seems I left a message for you. It says. . .thanks. We will see each other again." He folded the paper and handed it over.

"From your other self?" Jack accepted the paper like a piece of gold.

"Yes."

Jack nodded slowly, and smiled. "It's odd, Doctor. I've met you many times, yet I still feel like I don't even know you."

"There are days when I feel like I don't know myself," The Doctor admitted wryly. "Still, one is ever-changing, eh?"

"Not like you," Jack laughed. He opened the paper and read the message himself, marveling at the flowing handwriting. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" the Doctor asked softly.

"I doubted you." He folded the paper carefully. "I thought you left me there, back on Orta. I was beginning to think…." He couldn't finish.

The Doctor looked sad. "Jack, I thought we settled that."

"No, you don't have to explain again. But, I guess I just need - more chances to trust you again?"

"Are you thumbing a ride?"

Jack wanted to. God, he wanted to!

The Doctor smiled, and nodded into the distance. "You have company. I better be off."

"No, wait," Jack scramble to his feet, then extended his hand. "Look, just- don't be a stranger. Please. That includes your other selves."

The Doctor smiled his sad smile. It was such a contrast to the more relaxed expression his other incarnation wore! Jack hurt inside. "You have a life, here. You'll continue to do great things. You don't need an old man in a police box."

"No," Jack agreed, "but I do need an old friend in a police box." He gripped the Doctor's hand tightly. "Please. Don't disappear on me."

Again the Doctor's mouth quirked, and he squeezed Jack's hand in return before quickly letting go and walking into his TARDIS in a rustle of brown fabric.

Jack's breath frosted the air. He stepped back as the light atop the box signaled activation, and the box vanished.

He fought back the tears, but smiled through them, turning as voices behind him shouted his name in relief.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Doctor toyed with the double helix necklace from Kinda. The artifacts his companions kept, he never could be rid of. Rooms and rooms were devoted to trinkets and baubles and the like. Each one reminded him of an adventure, and of the person. He set the necklace back inside the crate, and sealed it.

"I suppose I could stay a little longer."

The Doctor looked up from his contemplation, seeing Turlough watching him from the door. "You do tend to get into the most terrible trouble," Turlough added.

The Doctor regarded him evenly, then folded his arms across his chest. He wasn't sure. Maybe he should go on alone for a while. But then, he'd been willing to take on Peri. Maybe one day, he'd go back for her. Maybe. If not in this lifetime…

"If you'd have me." Turlough watched him, hesitant. Hopeful. Young.

Ghosts of past companions filled the corridor. Tegan was gone. Nyssa. And Adric. . .

The Doctor took a deep breath, let go of the past, and smiled. "Oh, very well. Why not?"

-The End

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Thank you so much for reading! This is the first time I've written a Doc Who fic, though I've been a fan most of my life. Peter Davison (5) is "my" Doctor. And I love David Tennant, I think he carried the banner brilliantly. Jack is a character completely to himself, so there was no way I could resist putting the three together. I'll probably do it again. Seeing Tennant and Davison together in Time Crash brought me to tears and solidified my desire to get these two together again, but with the "younger" fifth Doctor. And heck, the fifth Doc is HOT, so of course Jack would be interested. LOL! I hope it wasn't too confusing, I tend to get stuck in metaphysical mumbo jumbo from time to time. I can see it in my head, I just hope it translates to screen. Please let me know what you thought of the story, and thanks again! Oh, and if anyone wants to hash out story ideas or beta for me, send me a message. Appreciated!

Love and respect...

Kam ;)


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